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33  «VCS1  MAIN  STREiT 

W;.A;>ViR,N.Y.  USM 

(716)  •72-4503 


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CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/ICMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  /  Institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historiques 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes/Notes  techniques  et  bibllographiques 


The  Institute  has  attempted  to  obtain  the  best 
original  copy  available  for  filming.  Features  of  this 
copy  which  may  be  bibliographically  unique, 
which  may  alter  any  of  the  images  in  the 
reproduction,  or  which  may  significantly  change 
the  usual  method  of  filming,  are  checked  below. 


E 


D 


D 
D 


D 


D 


Coloured  covers/ 
Couverture  de  couleur 


I      I    Covers  damaged/ 


Couverture  endommag^e 

Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Couverture  restaurte  et/ou  pelliculto 


I      I    Cover  title  missing/ 


Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 

Coloured  maps/ 

Cartes  g^ographiques  en  couleur 

Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)/ 
Encre  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noire) 


I      I    Coloured  plates  and/or  illustrations/ 


Planches  et/ou  illustrations  en  couleur 

Bound  with  other  material/ 
ReliA  avec  d'autres  documents 

Tight  binding  may  cause  shadows  or  distortion 
along  interior  margin/ 

La  re  liure  serr6e  peut  causer  de  I'ombre  ou  de  la 
distortion  le  long  de  la  marge  int6rieure 

Blank  leaves  added  during  restoration  may 
appear  within  the  text.  Whenever  possible,  these 
have  been  omitted  from  filming/ 
II  se  peut  que  certalnes  pages  blanches  ajout^es 
lors  d'une  restauration  apparaissent  dans  le  texte, 
mais,  lorsque  cela  6tait  possible,  ces  pages  n'ont 
pas  M  film6es. 

Additional  comments:/ 
Commentaires  suppi^mentaires: 


L'Institut  a  microfilm*  le  meilleur  exemplaire 
qu'il  lui  a  6tA  possible  de  se  procurer.  Les  details 
de  cet  exemplaire  qui  sont  peut-Atre  uniques  du 
point  de  vue  bibiiographlque,  qui  peuvent  modifier 
une  image  reproduite,  ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  une 
modification  dans  la  methods  normale  de  filmage 
sont  indiquto  ci-dessous. 


D 
D 
D 

D 


D 


Coloured  pages/ 
Pages  de  couleur 

Pages  damaged/ 
Pages  endommag^es 

Pages  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Pages  restaur^es  et/ou  pelllcuites 

Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 
Pages  ddcoiortes,  tacheties  ou  piqu^es 

Pages  detached/ 
Pages  ddtachtes 

Showthrough/ 
Transparence 


I      I    Quality  of  print  varies/ 


Quality  in^gaie  de  I'impresslon 

Includes  supplementary  material/ 
Comprend  du  materiel  suppl^mentaire 

Only  edition  available/ 
Seule  Mition  disponible 


Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata 
slips,  tissues,  etc.,  have  been  ref limed  to 
ensure  the  best  possible  image/ 
Les  pages  totalement  ou  partiellement 
obscurcies  par  un  feuillet  d'errata,  une  pelure, 
etc.,  ont  4t6  filmtes  A  nouveau  de  fagon  A 
obtenir  la  meilleure  image  possible. 


ti 


T 

P 
o 
fl 


0 
b 
tl 
si 

o 

fll 

si 

01 


Tl 
s» 
Tl 
w 

M 
di 
er 
bs 
ri| 
rei 
mi 


This  Item  Is  filmed  nt  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  est  film*  au  taux  de  rMuction  indiquA  ci-dessous. 


10X 

14X 

18X 

22X 

26X 

• 

30X 

>y 

12X 

16X 

20X 

24X 

28X 

32X 

Th«  copy  film«d  h«r«  hat  been  raproducad  thanks 
to  tha  o*narositv  of: 

Library  Oiviiion 

Provincial  Archival  of  British  Columbia 

Tha  imagaa  appaaring  hara  ara  tha  bast  quality 
posslbia  conaldarlng  tha  condition  and  lagibllity 
off  tha  original  copy  and  in  liaaping  with  tha 
filming  contract  spacif Icatlons. 


Original  coplas  in  printad  papar  covars  ara  filmad 
baglnning  with  tha  front  covar  and  anding  on 
tha  last  paga  with  a  printad  or  illustratad  impras- 
slon.  or  tha  back  covar  whan  appropriata.  All 
othar  original  copias  ara  filmad  baglnning  on  tha 
first  paga  with  a  printad  or  illustratad  impras- 
sion.  and  anding  on  tha  last  paga  with  a  printad 
or  illustratad  imprassion. 


Tha  last  racordad  frama  on  aach  microflcha 
shall  contain  tha  symbol  -^>  (moaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  tha  symbol  V  (moaning  "END"). 
whichavar  applias. 

Maps,  platas.  charts,  ate.  may  ba  filmad  at 
diffarant  raduction  ratios.  Thosa  too  larga  to  ba 
antiraly  includad  in  ona  axposura  ara  filmad 
baglnning  in  tha  uppar  laft  hand  cornar.  laft  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  framas  as 
raquirad.  Tha  following  diagrams  iilustrata  the 
mathod: 


L'axamplaira  film*  fut  raproduit  grtca  A  la 
g*n4roait*  da: 

Library  Division 

Provincial  Archives  of  British  Columbia 

Las  imagaa  suivantas  ont  4t*  raproduitas  avac  la 
plus  grand  soin,  compta  tanu  da  la  condition  at 
da  la  nanat*  da  I'axamplaira  ffilm«.  at  an 
confformitA  avac  las  conditions  du  contrat  da 
filmaga. 

Las  axamplairas  originaux  dont  la  couvartura  an 
papiar  ast  ImprimAa  sont  filmAs  9n  commandant 
par  la  pramiar  plat  at  an  tarminant  soit  par  la 
darniira  paga  qui  comporta  una  amprainte 
d'imprassion  ou  d'illustration.  soit  par  la  sacond 
plat,  salon  la  cas.  Tous  las  autras  axamplairas 
originaux  sont  filmte  en  commandant  par  la 
-  pramitra  page^ui  comporta  una  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration  at  en  terminant  par 
la  derniAre  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 

Un  des  symboles  suivants  apparaftra  sur  la 
derniire  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  le 
cas:  le  symbols  —^  signifie  "A  SUIVRE".  le 
symbols  ▼  signifie  "FIN". 

Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  Atre 
film«s  k  des  taux  de  reduction  diff«rents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  Atre 
reproduit  en  un  seul  clich*.  il  est  film*  A  partir 
de  I'angia  supArieur  gauche,  de  gauche  A  droite, 
et  de  haut  9n  bas.  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'images  nAcessaire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  la  mAthode. 


1 

2 

3 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

FIRST     EDITIOIV. 


< 
< 

4 
< 
4 
4 
4 


THE 


NORTHWEST   COAST, 


y 
> 
y 

:  ► 


INCLUDING 


Oregon,  Washington  and  Id^ho, 


A  SERIES  OF  ARTICLES  UPON  THE  N.    P.    R.   R. 


IN    ITS  RELATIONS   TO    THE 


f 


Basins  of  the  Columbia  and  of  Puget's  Sound. 


By  rev.   G.    H.   ATKINSON,  D.  D. 


J^i'rs^  Published  in    The  Oregonian. 


PORTLAND,  OREGON: 

A.  G.  WALLING,  STEAM  PRINTER  AND  BOOKBINDER. 

1878. 


'ww^'mwwm^wwwww^wwmww^^^w^wmwwwwm'mww^^www^^ww^m^wmwmmMy 


!^'t^JIU  ^  0 


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/* 


THE 


NORTHWEST   COAST, 


INCLUDING 


Oregon,  Washington  and  Idaho, 


A  SERIES  OF  ARTICLES  UPON  THE  N.   P.   R.  R. 


IN   ITS  RELATIONS  TO   THE 


Basins  of  the  Columbia  and  of  Pugcf  s  Sound. 


By  rev.   G.   H.   ATKINSON,  D.  D. 


First  Published  in   The  Oregonian. 


PORTLAND,  OREGON: 

A.  O.  WALLING,  STEAM  PRINTER  AND  BOOKBINDER. 

1878. 


a 


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PREFACE. 

These  articles  are  reproduced  in  pamphlet  form,  in  their 
order  of  time,  for  convenient  reference. 

The  statistical  facts  collated  with  other  arguments  carry 
I  their  own  force  of  reason  to  the  thoughtful  citizen  of  this 
section,  and  to  the  broad-minded  statesman  of  every  section 
of  cur  country. 

The  hope  is  cherished  that  they  will  give  some  aid  to  secure 
I  the  needed  Congressional  Legislation,  and  thus  confer  a  com- 
mon  benefit  upon  this  prospective  empire  of  the  Pacific  North- 
west, and  upon  our  country. 

G.  H.  ATKINSON. 
Portland,  Oregon,  Oct.  25,  1878. 


108389 


I 


THE    NORTHWEST   (OAST. 


Value  ok  Lanij  Inchkased. 

fiailroads  give  actual  value  to  lands.  Evon  where  fares  and 
freights  equal  the  old  coach  and  wagon  rates,  the  linio  saved  is 
money  to  the  farmer  and  the  merchant.  A  trip  of  six  days  for  a 
man  and  team  would  l)e  required  to  lake  a  ton  of  wheat  (33  bushels) 
100  miles,  at  a  cost  of  not  less  than  $12,  or  .'|j!2  per  day,  which  isequal 
to  36  cents  per  bushel.  The  car  will  put  that  wlieat  into  market  in 
half  a  day,  and  leave  man  and  team  at  homo  for  work.  Six  days  of 
work  on  say  six  acres  are  worth  $12,  which  sum  is  added  to  the  value 
of  the  ).and,  or  to  other  land.  This  sum  is  equal  to  $2  per  acre 
per  year,  or  the  interest  of  $20  per  acre.  If  the  land  was  worth 
$5  per  acre  without  the  railroad,  it  is  worth  $25  with  it,  count- 
ing merely  the  time  saved.  But  if  the  railroad  rate  is  one- 
half  or  one-third  the  wagon  rate,  as  is  usually  the  case,  it  will 
save  enougli  to  add  a  hundred  per  cent,  more  to  the  original 
value  of  the  land.  The  Willamette  farm  lands  near  the  railroad, 
within  a  hundred  miles  of  Portland,  have  risen  steadily  in  about  these 
proportions.  The  lands  in  the  interior  valleys  of  California  have 
risen  to  much  higher  values  since  their  railroads  came,  although  *,he 
rates  of  transportation  are  reported  to  be  very  high. 

But  the  lands  east  of  the  nniontains,  far  from  the  river  or  railroad, 
have  very  little  value  except  for  stock  ranges.  The  finest  wheat 
lands  must  lie  untilled.  Coal  fields  must  remain  undeveloped.  Even 
minerals  cannot  be  mined,  except  the  precious  metals  in  rich  depos- 
its, without  railroads. 

Mineral  and  coal  regions  to  a  large  extent  arc  valueless  until  cheap 
transportation  is  alforded.  The  coal  of  Wyoming,  the  copper  and 
the  coarser  silver  ores  ot  irtah  and  Nevada  waited  for  the  railroad 
car  to  give  them  value. 

The  original  Union  Pacific  Railroad  land  grant  was  12,077,981 
91-100  acres.  The  sales  to  December  31,  1875,  were  l,J0a,942  91-100 
acres,  for  $5,330,044  02,  at  the  average  price  of  $4  47  per  acre.  An 
equal  value  surely  was  given  to  the  same  number  of  acres  on  the 
even  sections  retained  by  the  government.  The  total  value  of  the 
original  land  grant  at  the  minimum  rate  of  •^2  50  per  acre  was 
$30,194,952. 

The  coal,  iron,  copper,  silver,  gold,  marble,  lime,  cinnal)ar,  etc., 
long  bid  in  the  rugged  mountains,  but  now  brought  into  use,  will 
far  more  than  compensate  for  any  poor  lands. 

The  original  numlaer  of  acres  of  the  land  grant  to  the  C.  P.  11.  R. 
and  to  the  California  and  Oregon  Railroad  was  13,222,400.  If  valued 
at  $2  50  per  acre,  it  makes  the  amount  of  the  grant  $33,056,000.  It 
is  fair  to  say  that  these  two  roads  are  giving  almost  the  entire  esti- 
mated value  of  $63,250,950  to  these  lands,  and  an  equal  sum  to 
government  lands  lying  adjacent  to  them 


.  I 


Millions  of  acres  lying  outside  the  limits  of  these  railroad  grants 
DOW  have  a  market  value  imposHible  before  the  road  was  built. 
The  Illinois  Central  railroad  added  several  hundred  per  cent,  to  the 
real  worth  of  the  belt  of  land  60  miles  wide  along  its  track,  enriching 
the  people  an  well  as  the  railroad  corporation. 

The  route  of  the  N.  P.  R  U.  Is  through  a  good  belt  of  country. 
Its  capacities  for  pasturage,  for  the  cereal,  for  vegetables  and  fruits, 
have  been  proved.  Soil  and  climate  invite  settlers.  But  these  pro- 
ducts cannot  be  transported  to  the  markets  of  the  world.  It  is  use- 
less to  raise  any  for  export.  The  lands  lie  idle,  as  they  have  done 
for  a  thousand  years.  The  lumber  of  the  mountains  falls  and  decays 
or  is  burned  up.  The  coal  beds  are  untouched.  The  minerals  can- 
not be  brought  into  use.  The  lands  must  remain  unsold  or  unsur- 
veved  for  want  of  buyers.  Complete  the  road  from  the  Columbia  to 
the  Missouri  and  this  strip,  80  miles  wide  and  2,000  long,  of  160,'JOO 
square  miles,  or  102,400,000  acres,  will  acquire  a  real  worth,  atone 
dollar  per  acre,  of  $102,400,000.  At  two  dollars  per  acre  it  will  be 
worth  isJ04, 800,000.  At  the  government  price  for  even  sections,  $2  50 
per  acre,  the  whole  amount  will  be  worth  $25(5,000,000,  of  which  the 
government  will  receive  half,  or  $128,000,000,  and  the  builders  of  the 
road  the  other  half.  That  new  v.ilue  will  be  created  by  the  road, 
and  will  become  steadily  available  to  the  government  and  people. 
Without  the  road  it  cannot  exist;  without  the  road  it  never  will 
exist 

FnEiGHTs  Savep. 

Roads  built  on  t^e  basis  of  these  land  grants  nave  certain  sums 
in  the  cost  ol  govv..nment  freights  over  these  routes,  which  may 
be  fairly  added  to  the  land  values  created  by  them.  Senator 
Stewart,  of  Nevada,  said  that  "The  cost  of  the  overland  service 
for  the  whole  period  from  the  acquisition  of  our  Pacific  coast 
possessions  down  to  the  completion  of  the  Pacific  railroad 
was  §8,000,000  per  annum,  and  constantatly  increasing."  The 
editor  of  the  Pacific  Tourifit  adds:  "Since  the  building  of  that 
road,  say  for  seven  years — 1869  to  1876— the  cash  paid  to  railroad 
companies  for  one-half  charge  of  transportation  per  year  was  about 
$1,200,000  per  annum,  or  the  sum  of  $8,400,000  for  the  whole 
time."  The  cost  to  the  government  of  military  transportation  in 
1870  was  $S,000,000  per  annum,  and  increasing  over  $1,000,000 
per  year.  In  1876  it  would  have  been  over  $14,000,000.  The  av- 
erage for  seven  years,  at  $10,000,000  per  year,  would  amount  to 
$70,000,000.  Thus  the  total  saving  in  seven  years  to  the  United 
States  Government  was  $61,600,000.  This  is  equal  to  the  creation 
or    earning  of  $61,600,000  for  the  government. 

It  is  an  item  worthy  of  notice  that  the  government  paid  the  in- 
terest on  the  Pacific  railroad  bonds  during  these  seven  years,  an 
average  of  $3,897,129  per  ynar,  or  a  total  of  $27,279,906.  Deduct- 
ing this  sum  from  $61,000,000,  there  was  a  net  profit  over  all  ex- 
penses to  the  United  States  of  $.^14,420,094."  It  is  fair  to  estimate 
these  savings  as  so  much  value  added  to  the  bolt  of  country  tra- 
versed by  the  road. 

The  writer  quoted  remarks  that  "these  figures  do  not  include 
vast  amounts  of  incidental  items  which  would  have  been  of  in- 
calculable trouble,  or  immense  expense  to  the  United  States,  such 
as  the  indemnities  constantly  being  paid  by  the  United  States  for 
the  destruction  of  life  and  private  property  by  Indians;  also  dep- 


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lad  grants 
was  built, 
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these  pro- 
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which  the 
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hich  may 

Senator 

id  service 

ific    coast 

railroad 

"      The 

of   that 

railroad 

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lie    whole 

tation    in 

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The  av- 

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creation 

the  in- 
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redatinnn  of  Indiana  on  property  in  government  service;  increased 
mail  facilitieH  and  deoreaseil  mail  expenses;  prevention  of  Indian 
warM;  the  rapid  ^ale  of  guvernninnt  lands,  and  tlie  energetic  de- 
velopment ot  the  Uiiiiing  intorosts  of  all  the  Territories." 

Hon.  llffnry  Wilson,  in  a  speech  before  the  Senate,  thirty-sev- 
enth  CongreHK,  boldly  Haid:  *'I  give  no  grudging  vote  in  giving 
away  either  money  or  land.  I  would  sink  $100,000,000  to  build  the 
road,  and  do  it  most  cheerfully,  and  think  I  bad  done  a  great 
thing  fr)r  my  country." 

The  average  transfer  of  through  passengers  on  the  Paciflo  rail- 
roads per  year,  for  lour  years,  was  72,18:1,  and  of  way  passengers 
318,182.  The  average  transfer  of  treight  for  1872  and  1H75  was 
over  three  billions  of  pounds  per  year. 

This  power  of  transportation  is  a  definite  commercial  value,  cre- 
ated by  the  railroad.  It  is  a  commodity  produced  where  none 
existed  before,  as  leally  as  the  product  of  now  grain  Helds  or  new 
manufactories.  The  only  question  is,  whether  s.'ch  svc;ilih  pro- 
ducers are  needed  or  are  in  excess.  When  the  New  York  '-'ontral 
Railroad  was  first  proposed,  farmers  objected  to  the  project  as  an 
injury  to  the  freight  business  by  wagons,  and,  in  fact,  to  the  bus- 
iness  of  raising  horses.  The  one  answer  to  all  such  objections  is, 
that  two,  and  perhaps  three,  broad  bells  of  the  continent  within 
our  national  limits  can  be  traversed  by  new  railroads,  and  their 
resources  developed  by  them,  and  in  no  other  tvay  can  Una  ever  be 
done. 

A  Military  Necessity. 

The  N.  P.  R.  R.  is  as  truly  a  military  necessity,  in  its  section 
as  the  U.  P  or  C.  P.  R.  Roads  were  in  their  section. 

It  will  annually  save  millions  of  dollars  to  the  government  in 
freights  alone. 

It  will  quell  Indian  outbreaks  so  quickly  and  effectually  that 
they  will  be  less  and  less  likely  to  occur.  Such  outbreaks  do  not 
now  happen  as  formerly  in  Nebraska,  Wyoming,  Utah  and  Ne- 
vada. Had  the  N.  P.  K.  R.  been  completed,  the  Black  Hills  war 
would  have  been  speedily  closed,  and  with  less  sacrifice  of  life. 
The  present  war  with  Chief  Joseph's  band  of  Nez  Perces  could 
have  been  ni{  ped     in  the  bud  if  the  N.  P.  R.  R.  had  been    built. 

A  National  Necessity. 

The  one  Pacific  railroad  is  now  developing  a  central  tier  of  states 
across  the  continent.  More  than  any  other  agenuy,  it  lifted  Nevada 
to  this  position.  Utah  would  be  the  next  state,  but  for  the  antagon- 
ism of  Mormonism.  Wyoming  hastens  to  join  the  rank.  Nebraska 
was  ushered  into  the  list  while  yet  the  Pacific  railroad  was  making 
its  way  through  her  prairies. 

Sound  Statesmanship  Demands  the  N.  P.  R.  R. 

The  following  items  show  the  business  of  Utah  in  1875:  The  value 
of  imports  was  in  that  year  $9,150,851  ;  the  value  of  farm  products, 
$7,861,772;  miscellaneous,  $800,384;  mineral  products  (mostly  silver 
bullion),  $6,145,211  ;  manufactures,  $2,805,000;  making  (exclusive  of 
flour,  $1,(503,985)  $17,310,000.  The  valuation  of  assessable  prop- 
erty, according  to  the  auditor's  report  in  1875,  was  $23,289,189. 

On  this  property  the  aggregate  taxes  assessed  in  1875  were  $58,- 
222  95.  To  the  Pacific  railroad  a  large  proportion  of  this  business 
and  wealth  is  due. 


1 


8 


The  assessed  value  of  property  in  California  in  1864-5  when  the  C. 
P.  R.  R.  was  begun,  was  8180,484,940  85.  The  assessed  value  five 
years  later,  in  IStjft,  when  the  Overland  railroad  was  done,  was  $237,- 
483,175  07.  A  gain  of  p6,9!)8,225  22,  or  about  32  per  cent.,  or  6  2-5 
per  cent,  per  year.  The  assessed  value  in  1874-5,  five  years  later, 
was  $011,495,197  00,  a  gain  of  $374,012,021  93,  or  about  150  per  cent, 
in  five  years,  or  31  3-5  per  cent,  per  year. 

These  values  are  as  well  sustained  as  any  values  are  sustained  in 
any  other  part  of  our  country.  Their  vast  increase  is  largely — most- 
ly due  to  the  Pacific  railroad. 

It  is  not  certain  that  tiio  N.  P.  R.  R.  will  produce  similar  results  as 
quielily ;  but  the  resources  of  the  northern  route  are  as  vast,  as  vari- 
ed and  more  permanent ;  and  they  will  ultimately  be  as  grandly  de- 
veloped. 

Daliota,  Montana,  Idaho,  Washington  and  Oregon  wait  for  tfiis 
road.  It  will  stimulate  all  their  energies.  It  will  establish  vigorous 
settlements.  It  will  open  new  regions.  It  will  unfold  the  hidden 
treasures  of  the  soil,  the  mines,  the  forests,  the  river,  the  lakes  and 
the  ocean.  It  will  hasten  the  immigrations,  by  giving  confidence  to 
the  people  that  their  labors  and  enterprise  shall  be  rewarded. 

IXCREASK   OF  POPULATION. 

"In  1860  the  population  of  the  Pacific  slope  was  619,000.  In  1870 
it  had  doubled.     In  1876  it  had  again  increased  40  per  cent. 

It  is  safe  to  calculate  upon  six  per  cent,  increase  annually  on  the 
completion  of  this  road.  Grant  the  present  population  of  Oregon, 
Washington  and  Idaho  to  be  200,000 — ten  years  at  6  per  cent,  will 
add  158,874,  or  a  total  of  358,»74. 

The  increase  may  be  douljle  that  amount,  giving  over  a  million  of 
people  to  these  three  states,  as  t!\ey  will  tiien  be,  in  twenty  years. 

It  is  the  part  of  good  statesmansliip  to  provide  for  the  futuie  wel- 
fare of  our  country,  it  would  seem  a  present  duty  to  establish  this 
tier  of  states  on  our  nortliern  border  from  tlie  lakes  to  the  Pacific.  In 
order  to  do  this  every  hand  and  everj'  voice  ought  to  lielp  on  tlie 
building  of  this  road. 

The  lands  granted  if  sold  at  §2  50  per  acre  minumum,  will  give 
that  sum  in  value  by  the  construction  of  tliis  overland  road.  Thus 
the  value  of  the  grant  being  fairly  earned,  and  in  no  sense  a  gift. 

The  government  or  the  people  alike  make  a  large  profit  by  the 
subsidy.  The  builders  do  the  same.  It  is  like  laying  out  a  town 
site,  and  giving  half  the  lots  to  settlers,  who  will  build  houses,  and 
on  them  thus  double  or  quadruple  the  value  of  the  remaining  lots. 

A  Valuable  Investment. 

Land  subsidies,  for  transcontinental  railroads  are  good  investments 
for  the  people.  They  make  one  acre  worth  two,  three  and  four,  or  a 
dozen  acres  of  thv.  same  quality,  which  have  no  railroad  faoilities. 
The  cry  against  such  subsidies  is  absurd  and  misleading.  To  pre- 
vent such  grants  is  to  defraud  the  people.  Its  encouragement  sets 
the  wheels  of  industry  in  motion,  employs  laborers,  feeds  the  hun- 
gry, opens  new  avenues  for  business,  and  adds  largely  to  the  nation- 
al wealth. 

The  arguments  which  apply  to  the  Northern  P.  R.  R.  apply  with 
equal  force  to  the  Southern  P.  R.  R.,  or  Texas  P.  R.  R. 

Wilderness  regions  along  that  belt  of  country  will  become  rioh 
states  by  thus  opening  the  highway  of  commerce. 


Sij 
regi<| 
will 
this 
dot' 
slian 

Till 
l:il)<)ir 
prisc'l 


I 


[len  the  C. 
I'alue  live 
was  $237,- 
.,  or  6  2-5 
aars  later, 
per  cent. 

itained  in 
ly — most- 
results  as 
it,  as  vari- 
andly  de- 

t  for  tnis 
I  vigorous 
16  bidden 
lakes  and 
tidence  to 
id. 


,     In  1870 

ly  on  the 
f  Oregon, 
cent,  will 

nillion  of 
years, 
tuie  wel- 
)lish  this 
acific.  In 
Ip  on  the 

vill  give 
Thus 
gift, 
by  the 
a  town 

ises,  and 

tg  lots. 


sstments 
ur,  or  a 

'aoilities. 

To  pre- 
ent  sets 
le  bun- 
nation- 

)ly  with 

ne  rich 


9 

Similar  reasons  urge  the  building  of  cross-roads,  intersecting  new 
regions,  lilio  tlio  P.,  D  &  S.  L  road,  and  S.  tfe  W.  W.  K.  K.,  which 
will  be  oi  far  more  wortli  tlism  many  tniilt  in  the  eastern  states.  If 
tiiis  increased  value  is  j^ivon  to  regions  traversed  by  railroads,  wliich 
(l()e>  not  exist  without  them,  it  is  lair  and  wise  to  give  tlie  builders  a 
siiaro  in  the  wealth  w  hieh  tliey  create. 

Tlie  iron,  the  eoal,  the  manufactories,  the  skilled  and  the  unskilled 
labor  of  the  coiHitrj^  wait  to  be  employed  on  such  national  enter- 
prises. 

Its  iSociAii  anp  MohaIj  Powkr. 

In  the  problem  of  a  nation's  life  easy  intercommunication  is 
found  to  bo  an  essenlial  factor.  Already  our  nation  feels  the  \  ital 
force  of  the  Union  and  Central  PrU!ili(\  The  heterogeneous  popula- 
tion that  presses  into  new  regions,  ('specially  into  those  rich  in  the 
l)recious  metals,  and  in  nnneral  and  a!j;ri('nll\iral  resources  as  tlio 
electric  chain,  needs  tluit  constant  connection  with  the  whole  body 
politic. 

Interlace  the  continent  with  railroads  and  you  ensure  the  unity  of 
the  i)e()ple,  by  Mio  coininunity  of  interest  which  must  and  will  be 
(luickly  felt.  No  power  acts  with  such  force  now  to  harmonize  the 
north  and  the  sotuh.  the  east  and  the  west.  This  force  is  needed 
along  the  northern  and  soiitlu;rn  belts  from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pa- 
cific. 

Its  Economy  oi'  Fouck  as   a  Puohli;m  of  Enoineeuino. 

It  is  a  fixed  principle  of  engineering  that  it  is  as  easy  to  draw  sev- 
en loaded  ears  on  a  levtd  trade  seventy  feet  as  to  raise  them  one  foot. 

The  wear  and  tear  of  machinery  of  iho  track,  combined  with  the 
strain  or  force  required  lo  draw  such  a  load  show  the  equivalents  to 
l)e  as  sevciuty  feet  in.  lcn;rth  to  one  in  heiglit. 

On  hearing  this  principle  stated  b.v  an  engineer,  as  it  was  new  to 
me  and  tlie  revelation  of  imi)ortanL  results,  I  stated  it  to  (/Jeneral  Til- 
ton,  a  well-known  engineer  of  high  standing,  for  explanation  and 
verilication.  With  the  carefulness  of  a  mathematician,  he  answennl, 
that  it  was  as  lU'arly  corn^ct  as  the  (^IcuicMils  ofilu;  problem  in\')lved 
eoulil  be  state<l;  that  it  was  oficn  discussed  and  alliriued  by  I'].  F. 
Johnson,  I^sfj.,  consulting  engineer  of  the  N.  P.  1{.  11.,  the  teacher  of 
us  all. 

li  is  a  working  rule,  ^^■hi(•h  we  can  safidy  follow,  he  said.  ^lore- 
over,  wlien  weights  increase  tlie  equivaienis  increase,  for  example^ 
fourte(>n  loaded  cais  can  be  ilrawu  oiu^  huiidicd  and  forty  feet  on  a 
level  track  as  easy  aiul  with  as  little  wear  and  tear  and  strain  as  they 
can  bo  lifted  one  foot,  but  the  law  ol  eqnivait'Uts  is  not  exactly  the 
same  for  the  higher  numbers. 

Do  you  mean,  <ieiu!.'al,  that  it  is  as  easy  and  economical  to  run  a 
freight  ti'ain  of  seven  loadiMl  ears  around  a  mountain  seventy  milos 
as  to  lift,  it  one  mile  high  over  that  mountain?     Yes,  he  replied. 

Is  it  as  easy  and  ecoJiomical  lo  draw  a  loadetl  train  of  14  cars  140 
miles  on  a  level  around  a  mountain  as  to  lift  them  one  milo 
high  over  it?  Yes,  he  ^aid,  that  is  tlie  practi(;al  fact.  How  would  it 
be  with  2\  loaded  cars?  The  rjeiieral  replied  that  th(»  same  law  op- 
erati's.  yet  llie  tests  and  ligun's  h.'iv(!  not  been  matU^  lo  show  how 
much  it  may  be  modilied.  (general,  how  do  the  two  I'acifur  railroad 
routes,  via  I  he  N.  P.  P.  K.  aiut  the  l'.  j,^:  ('.  I'.  K.  K.,  compare  as  to 
gradients?  Those  of  the  N.  P.  \l.  \i,  are  far  the  lowest  and  easiest.  For 
example,  they  (the  V.  P.  R.  K.)  climb  the   Novadas  over  7,000  feet, 


I'i. 


A I  :     t 

I  4 


10 

descend  into  the  valley  of  the  Humboldt  about  3,000,  ascend  again 
about  2,Ono  at  Promontory-  Point  and  1,000  more  at  Coopers';  and 
they  reach  8,li00  above  the  sea  ill  Sherman.  The  N.  P.  R.  R.  runs 
through  valleys  I'rom  1,000  to  :{,000  I'eot.  and  at  no  point  rises  higher 
than  5,000  feet  above  the  sea  l(?vel.  It  is  the  valley  route  across  the 
continent.  This  is  the  substance  of  a  conversation  with  General  T., 
at  Tacoina,  four  years  ago,  which  is  reported  from  memory,  as  I 
trust  accurately. 

In  a  couversation  with  Edwin  F.  Johnson,  Esq.,  in  Chicago,  in  Oc- 
tober, ]8iiS,  who  was  then  understood  to  be  the  engineer-in-chief  of  the 
N.  P.  R.  R.,  he  said  that  ho  began  more  than  .JO  3'oars  before,  in 
Connecticut,  and  followed  his  business  as  an  engineer  through  New 
York,  Ohio,  Michigan  and  farther  west,  constantly  studying  tlie  face 
of  the  continent  and  tlie  laws  of  its  climate,  and  that  he  found  the 
isothermal  line  constantly  veering  nortliward,  and  the  surface  of  the 
country  more  level  and  better  adapted  for  agriculture  and  a  popula- 
tion. Jle  added  that  the  proposed  route  for  the  N.  P.  11.  R.,  so  far  as 
the  preliminary  survey  had  been  made,  showed  easy  gradients  com- 
pared with  the  Central  route,  and  that  the  ac'ual  distance  by  meas- 
ure to  ocean  waters  at  Puget  Sound  was  about  three  hundred  miles 
less  than  to  ocean  waters  at  San  Francisco,  and  that  two  hundred 
miles  more  were  saved  by  easier  gradients,  making  500  miles  gained 
by  this  route  over  the  other  of  land  travel,  while  the  ocean  route 
from  Puget  Sound  to  China,  being  on  the  arc  of  the  irreat  circk;,  is 
about  400  miles  shorter  than  the  route  from  San  Francisco. 

Having  given  this  intelligent,  inquisitive,  and  venerable  cngini'or, 
many  facts  respecting  the  mildness  of  our  north  Pacilic  coast  cli- 
mate, confirming  his  tentative  observations  and  carefully  formed 
theories — which  testimony  seemed  very  grateful  to  him — our  inter- 
view of  a  half  liour  closed.  It  left  the  conviction  on  my  own  mind 
that  every  step  in  the  progress  of  such  a  vast  enterprise  must  be  ta- 
ken under  tiie  guidance,  and  subject  to  the  most  rigid  and  accurate 
tests  of  engineering  skill,  and,  whetj  so  made,  its  success  will  be  as- 
sured witii  matliematical  certainty. 

On  the  subject  of  routes,  W.  ^lilnor  Roberts,,  V.  S  civil  engineer 
and  engineer-in-cliief  of  the  N.  P.  R.  R.,  in  his  special  rei)ort  of  a  rc- 
connois.sance  of  the  route  for  the  N.  P.  R.  R. ,  between  Lake  Superi- 
or aiul  Puget  Sound,  in  iSTO,  via  the  Columbia  river,  uuikes  the  fol- 
lowing statements: 

"An  oxainination  of  the  profile  of  tlie  Union  Pacific  and  Central 
Pacific  lines,  between  Omaha  and  Sacramento,  a  distance  of  1,775 
miles,  shows  that  there  are  four  main  summits:  Sherman  summit, 
on  the  Black  Hills,  about  550  miles  from  Omaha,  .s,'j.")5  feet  above  tiie 
sea;  one  on  the  Rocky  mountains,  at  Aspeii  summit,  about  0'!5  miles 
from  Omaha,  7, -hi:}  feet;  one  at  Humboldt  mountuiu,  about  1,245 
miles  from  Omaha,  0,070  ;  and  another  on  the  Sierra  Nevada  ^only 
105  miles  from  the  western  terminus  at  Sacramento),  7,00'2  ;  whilst 
from  a  point  west  of  Cheyenne  to  Wahsatcli,  a  continuous  length  of 
450  miles,  every  portion  of  the  road  is  more  than  0,000  feet  above  the 
sea;  being  about  1,000  feet,  on  this  long  disiance,  higher  tiian  the 
hiyhcNt  .summit  on  the  N.  P.  R.  R.  route,  wiiilst  for  the  correspond- 
ing distance  on  the  Northern  Pacitio  route  tlie  average  elevation  is 
under  ;},tiO0  feet,  or  a, 000  feet  less  than  on  the  Union  and  Central 
line.  The  highest  summit  on  llie  Northern  Pacilic  line  is  about  three 
thousand /cct  lower  than  the  Sherman  sumujiton  the  Union  Pacific." 

On  the  Union  Pacific  road  the  profile  al.so  shows  that  for  nine  hun- 


dn 

agt 

in* 

on 

coi 

mo 

em 

lo\< 

of 

noi 

nil 

cifi 

wil 


11 


0,  ascend  again 
t  Coopers';  and 
]'.  R.  R.  runs 
)int  rises  lii^lier 
route  across  the 
vith  General  T., 
1   memory,  as  I 

Chicago,  in  Oc- 

)r-in-(!liiefof  the 

^'oars  before,  in 

r  tliroHgh  New 

luJyinjj;  the  face 

t  lie  found  tlie 

le  surface  of  the 

and  a  popula- 

R.  R.,  so  far  as 

gradients  com- 

itauco  by  meas- 

hundred   miles 

t   two  hundred 

DO  inilos  gained 

he  ocean   route 

irrcat  rirclo,  is 

•isco. 

lablc  (>ngiiii'er, 
icilic  coast  cli- 
refuUy  formed 
lim — our  inter- 
my  own  mind 
ise  must  be  ta- 
i  and  accurate 
:!ess  will  be  as- 
civil  engineer 
report  of  a  re- 
1  liake  Sui)eri- 
makes  the  fol- 

aud  Central 
taiu'o  of  1,775 
man  summit, 
feet  above  the 
Ijout  !);;.")  miles 

about  1,24.") 
Nevada  (only 
7,0()'2  ;  ,vhilst 
nous  length  of 
feet  above  the 
;her  tlian   the 

0  correspond- 
e  elevation  is 

1  and  Central 
is  about  three 

nion  Pacific." 
for  nine  hun- 


<lrod  continuous  miles,  from  Sidney  westward,  the  road  has  an  aver- 
age height  of  o\(>r  .">,00()  feet,  and  the  lowest  spot  on  tliat  distance  is 
more  tiian  I, (>()()  foiH  above  tiie  sea  ;  whereas  on  the  Northern  route 
only  about  sixty  miles,  at  most,  are  as  high  as  4,000  feot;  and  the 
corresponding  distance  of  nine  liundrcd  miles,  extending  from  tiie 
moutii  of  the  Vollowsione  to  tiio  valley  of  Clark's  river,  is,  on  an  av- 
erage, aliout  ;),00()  feet  iow»!r  llian  liu;  I'nion  Pacific  line.  Tlien  al- 
lowing thai  i,00(»feel  of  (ilevation  causes  a  decrease  of  temperature 
of  three  degrees,  tiiore  is  a  suiistantiai  reason  for  the  circumstance, 
now  well  authenticated,  that  tin*  snows  on  tlie  Xortiiern  route  are 
mucli  less  troui)les()in(i  tiian  tlmy  are  on  liie  I'nion  and  Central  Pa- 
citic  route.  .\t  tlie  same  time  it  sliouhl  not  be  claimed  tiiat  there 
will  be  no  trouble  from  snow  on  the  Nortliern  lino.  *  *  * 
"The  impression  I  would  wisli  to  cioate  is  tliis:  That  a  line  can  be 
•so  located  botwien  tiie  valley  of  the  Missouri  and  the  mouth  of  the 
Columbia  river,  and  to  Puget  Sound,  tliat  for  the  greater  portion  of 
the  distamre  it  will  not  encounter  any  serious  trouble  from  snow;  and 
that  in  tlio  passage  of  the  l)elL  range,  l)etween  the  Yellowstone  and 
the  IpfHU"  Miss(jiui,  and  the  crossing  of  the  Ro(!ky  mountains  at 
Deer  Lodge  pass,  no  gn'iiter  obstacles  from  snow  are  likely  to  bu  met 
with  tiian  have  already  been  encountered  and  overcome  on  roads  in 
New  England  states  and  in  the  state  of  New  York. 

Tiie  grades  beyond  the  Missouri,  along  the  valley  of  the  Yellow- 
stone, to  near  the  B()/(unan  pass,  like  those  east,  will  undulate  with- 
in tlie  general  limit  of  about  lorty  feet  i>er  mile,  altliough  it  may  be 
deemed  advisable,  at  a  few  points,  for  short  distances,  to  run  to  a 
maximum  of  lifty-three  feet  per  mile. 

The  height  cf  tlie  country  upon  which  me  line  is  ti'aced,  maybe 
approximately  stated  thus  beginning  at  I^ake  Superior,  going  west- 
ward: 

MilCH. 

To  Dakota  valley MOO 

Yellowstone  river ;U)0 

Along  Yellowstone 400 

Flathead  valley :'.00 

Lewis  or  Snake  river liOO 

Puget  Sound 500 

Lake  Superior  to  I'uget  Sound,  via  Portland,  2.000  miles  ;  direct 
\i\\{\  1,775  miles. 

The  ditl'erencc  between  direct  and  Columbia  river  route,  225  miles, 
is  more  than  made  up  by  its  lower  grades.  Compare  this  with  the 
profits  of  the  tinished  Ime  of  the  Union  and  Central  Pacific  roads. 
Properly,  the  ('omparison  sh.ould  be  made  from  Chicago,  the  terminus 
on  Lake  Michigan,  of  the  Omaha  line.  There  are  on  that  route,  ap- 
proximately, as  fohows  : 

Milcis. 

From  Chicago  to  Omaha 500 

Near  Cheyenne 51(J 

Coopers 87 

Promontory   Point 482 

Humboldt."^  40G 

Reno i;50 

Auburn  45 

Sacramento 39 

San  Francisco 135 

Chicago  to  San  Francisco 2,410  > 


Av.  Iligid  above  Sea. 
1,200  feet. 
2,200 
2,000 
3,500 
3,000 
400 


Av.  Iliylil  above  Sea. 
1,000  feet. 
3,300 
7,300 
(),200 
4,750 
4,000 
4,400 
300 
50 


12 


H^ 


.:!■  (  I- 


95    i  i 


On  tlio  Nortliern  rucifKi  lino  there  need  bo  bui  two  principal  suni- 
niits,  wliilst  on  the  otlitr  there  are  four,  the  lowest  ol  which  is  about 
a  thousand  feet  hif^iier  than  tiio  highest  on  tlio  nortliern  route.  If, 
therefore,  the  roads  were  tlie  same  length  between  the  Pacific  waters 
and  the  great  lakes  and  navigable  rivers  eastoftlie  Kocky  mount- 
ains, the  advantage  would  be  largely  in  favor  of  llie  northern  route; 
but  this  actual  distance  is  Ud  miles  less,  and  the  equated  distances 
for  ascents  and  descents  in  its  fa\ or  will  be  very  considerable  in  ad- 
dition." 

This  last  icnuvrk  of  the  engineer,  Mr.  Koberts,  doubtless,  applies 
to  the  gain  of  force  and  econonjy  ot  low  grades,  wiiich  is  equivalent, 
in  the  engineer's  mathematical  estimate,  to  a  delinito  number  of 
miles.  Engineer  Johnson  estimated  l!00  miles  of  such  gain  for  the 
whole  route. 

As  an  attesting  fact,  it  is  reported  from  one  of  the  directors  of  the 
Central  Pacific  railroad  that  the  cost  of  wear  and  tear  of  tlieir  rail- 
road iiOO  miles  over  the  Nevadas,  including  macliinery  and  in(!rease 
of  force  demanded  is  c(iual  to  the  expense  on  1,1(10  nnles  of  iho  rest 
of  their  road  t)ii  lower  grades. 

As  anotlier  attesting  fact,  it  is  reported  that  the  Heading  railroad, 
of  four  tracks  for  transporting  coal  41  miles  to  nnirket,  was  tirst  con- 
structed along  the  side  of  a  hill,  requiring  a  great  fon^e  to  carry  the 
trains  over  such  an  elevation.  On  the  estimate  of  their  engineer, 
they  found  that  the  road-bed  could  be  lowered  about  •"."i  teet,  and  the 
four  tracks  relaid  at  a  cost  of  about  8-, 000, 000,  and  that  the  economy 
of  force  and  wear  and  ttnir  thus  saveil  would  be  annually  the  interest 
on  .Si  ,000,000  above  this  extra  cost.  They  decided  to  abandon  the 
old  roail-bed  and  build  the  new  one. 

Th(!  facts  and  principles  thus  far  adduced  from  the  highest  author- 
ity of  engineers,  show  that  the  Nt)rtliern  Pacillc  railroad  route  runs 
through  a  series  of  valleys  that  extend  with  but  little  interruption 
across  the  continent,  of  the  remarkable  pass  at  Deer  Lodge,  well 
named  the  Oate  of  the  Mountains,  Mr.  Roberts  says:  <'Tho  whole 
40  miles  from  Deer  Lodge  ("ity  to  the  summit  of  the  Rocky  mount- 
ains, by  this  route,  can  bo  built  as  cheaply  as  roads  aro  built  through 
prairie  countries  generally. 

*«A  remarkable  circumstance  coimec^cd  with  this  pass  will  convej' 
a  clear  view  of  its  peculiarly  favorable  character.  Privjite  parties  en- 
gaged in  gold  mining  in  a  gold  field  which  exists  abundantly  on 
both  sides  of  the  Rock.y  mouiuains,  have  dug  a  ditch  across  this 
summit  whi(;h  is  only  eighteen  feet  deep  at  the  apex  of  the  divide, 
through  whicii  they  carry  the  water  ot  'Divide  creek,'  a  tributary 
of  the  Missouri,  across  to  the  Pacific  side,  where  it  is  used  in  gold- 
washing,  and  the  waste  water  passes  into  the  Paeitic  ocean.  This 
has  justly  been  termed  highway  robbery." 


The  N.  p.  R.  R.  Routk  B'ixkd  By  Nature. 


These  i)rinciplos  and  facts  must  control  the  western  end  of  the 
road.  Its  course  down  the  valley  of  the  ('olumbia  is  by  a  natural 
law  as  fixed  a.s  the  flow  of  the  waters  that  cut  this  channel  to  the 
o'^can . 

It  is  the  natural  route  for  the  transportation  of  freights.  If  not 
built  there  at  first,  .^competition  will  ultimately  compel  it  to  this  line, 
as  the  great  transcontinental  route  for  the  I'aeilic  and  Asiatic  traflic. 


13 


print'ipal  suin- 
wliicli  is  about 
liorn  route.  If, 
I)  PaoUic  waters  .. 
Kocky  mount- 
iiorthorn  route ; 
uated  ilistanees  - 
sidorable  in  ad-    I 

ubtlcss,  applies    } 
h  is  equivalont, 
iiite   numl)er  of  ■ 
till  gain  for  the  Ij 

directors  of  the 
iar  of  their  rail- 
ly  and  incu-ease 
niles  (if  iho  rest 

■adiufi;  railroad, 
it,  was  tirst  con- 
mo  to  carry  the 
their  engineer, 
■V2  teot,  and  the 
lat  the  economy 
aUy  the  interest 
to  abandon  the 

highest  author- 
road  route  runs 
tie  interruption 
eer  J.odge,  well 
"The  whole 
Rocky  mount- 
built  through 

ass  will  convej- 
ale  parties  en- 
bundantly  on 
■h  across  this 
of  the  divide, 
■k.'  a  tributarj- 
used  in  gold- 
c  ocean.     This 


J  HE. 

rn  end  of  the 
by  a  natural 
channel  to  the 

•eights.     If  not 
it  to  this  lino, 
(Vsiatio  traftlc. 


Thk  Cltmaik   Favors  It. 

This  tcin j)o:ate  climate  conserves  the  goods  in  transit.  While  tor- 
rid Ileal"  destroy  ■">  percent,  of  the  value  of  teas  in  transit  through 
them,  this  route  through  a  belt  of  such  cool  and  even  temperature 
keeps  all  such  goods  in  perfection.  This  is  also  true  of  fruits,  nieiit.s, 
lish,  giuin,  Hour  and  doubtless  of  many  other  articles  of  inor- 
chanilise.  It  is  destined  to  be  tuomost  regular  rapid  route  for  freight 
and  passage  across  the  continent,  as  it  has  the  easiest  and  lowest 
grades  and  the  fewest  dangers  of  interruption  from  snows  and 
slorins. 

Tin;  Law  of  I'om.mkuce    DicrATKs   this  Route. 

'J'he  denuvnds  of  its  (iommorce,  like  that  of  all  railroads,  will  direct 
its  route  through  tlie  most  prolific  part  of  the  basin  of  the  t'olumbia* 
The  countries  that  lla^  e  the  laigest  annual  harvests,  or  power  of  har- 
vests, will  naturally  traversed  on  its  way  to  the  sea.  .fudging  from 
the  contour  of  this  upper  basin  of  tlu!  Columbia,  coming  on  its  sur- 
veyed roiUe  by  Peiid  d'Oieille  liuke  to  near  the  mouth  of  the  Lewis 
or  Snake  river  it  will  cross  that  narrow  stream  ;  then  skirt  the  foot 
hills  around  to  the  l)all<!s  ;  then  through  the  Cascade  niounfaius  to 
th(^  Willamette;  thence  down  the  Columbia,  making  one  crossing  op- 
posite Kahuna  iielow  the  winter  ice  on  the  Columbia,  and  thence 
comphiling  its  connection  with  its  terminus  on  I'uget  Sound.  The 
charter  expressly  requires  the  line  to  bo  north  of  the  4.j  degree  of 
latitude,  to  some  point  on  Piiget  Sound,  "via  the  valley  of  the  Co- 
lumbia river,"  with  a  branch  across  the  Cascade  mountains  to  Puget 
Sound  On  this  route  it  will  easily  drain  the  products  of  the  richest 
agricultural  counties  of  ICaslerii  (Jrogoii  and  Washington,  viz:  Stev- 
ens, Whitman,  (i.lumbia,  Walla  Walla,  I'matilla  and  Wasco,  and 
will  secure  its  share  of  the  vast  and  increaaing  trade  of  the  Wil- 
lamette valley.  It  w  ill  largely  assure  the  O.  it  <  .  and  the  O.  C.  R.  R. 
traliic  and  thus  our  uoll'are.  It  will,  indeed,  lose  half  of  the  land 
grant  for  the  distance  passed  in  a  state,  but  its  gain  in  freights,  and 
in  the  route  will,  no  doubt,  compensate  lor  this  loss,  lint  whatever 
may  bo  the  opinions  or  wishes  of  the  ditVerent  sections  interested  in 
the  route,  we  can  hardly  doubt  that  the  two  elements  that  must  and 
will  decide  the  (pieslioii,  will  be  the  best  grades,  and  the  best  and 
most  steady  supply  of  freights.  These  two  laws  hold  with  a  force 
that  controls  such  enievprises. 

WlIKN    AND    IIOW    CaX    THK    RoAD    BK    RUILT  ? 

The  whole  northwest  is  more  interested  in  the  fact  of  the  completed 
road  than  in  its  route.  Hope  on  this  jjoiiit  was  blighted  when  Mr. 
Jaj'^  Cooke  A'  Co.  failed.  Its  construction  has  to  some  minds  seemed 
less  and  .     j  probable  during  all  the  four  years  of  the  panic. 

ORfKlTIONS. 

Thoughtful  men  riuestion  the  possibility  of  securing  funds  to  build 
it.  Some  have  distrusted  Us  board  of  directors,  and  charged  its  ofTi- 
cials  with  wasting  the  fuiuls  of  contiding  bondholders.  Some  eom- 
l)lain  that  its  land  grant  is  too  large,  and  that  it  ought  to  be  restored 
to  the  people. 

AXSWEll   TO   OlUECTIONS. 

It  is  very  probable  in  the  tlush  times  of  1S71--,  when  there  was 
every  prospect  of  selling  bonds  enough  to  complete  the  road,  that 
the  expenditures  for  depots  and  rolling  stock  were  in  excess  of  the 


■ill 


14 

present  nootl,  yet  they  worn  probably  in  anticipation  ol'  its  iinmoili- 
ate  future.  Wlien  its  bankruptcy  occurred,  tiio  on!}'  legal  course 
was  to  turn  over  its  assets  to  its  real  crjjditors,  who  wore  its  bond- 
holders and  not  its  stockliolders.  lint  when  this  was  first  proposed, 
it  was  objected  to  by  uw.n  in  high  j)osition,  even  as  lawyers,  tiiat  its 
corporate  lilt!  could  not  be  transferred  to  its  <'reditors,  but  thai  its  '>')0 
miles  of  ciinij)!cled  road,  and  ijs  lands  earned  by  their  construction 
must  be  divided  among  its  (rrctlitors,  and  that  the  enterprise  must  be 
given  up  as  a  failure.  Already  the  sliorilf  was  waiting  in  Now  York 
— hat  in  hand  — ti»  levy  on  the  property  and  force  the  sale. 

]5ut  an  inspection  of  their  franchise  and  their  rights  under  their 
charter  led  the  ])iudent  and  hopeful  members  of  tlie  Hoard  of  J)irec- 
tors  to  resist  doing  this  great  wrong  to  their  creditors.  One  plan 
was  to  exchange  bon<ls  for  for  lands  at  fair  rates,  which  would  satisfy 
the  claims  of  those  who  chose  this  method.  This  was  done,  to  some 
extent,  wichout  the  wasteage  of  legal  seizure  and  forced  transfer. 
IJut  the  comprehensive  i)lan  was  to  transfer  the  whole  property,  the 
completed  roads,  the  land  subsidy  already  earned,  the  corporate  life 
of  the  company,  with  its  inchoate  franchises,  to  the  cre('itors.  They 
were  authorized  to  do  this  by  virtue  of  Article  VI.  ol  their  charter, 
which  (as  amended  ijy  act  of  Congress  approved  May  .'U,  1870),  ox- 
))ress!y  authorizes  and  empowers  the  Northern  racilio  Railroad 
Comjiany  to  issue  its  bonds  to  aid  in  the  construction  and  e(iuipment 
of  its  road,  ajid  to  secure  such  l)onds  by  mortgage  on  its  property  of 
all  kinds  and  descriptions,  real,  personal  and  mixed,  intduding  its 
Iraiudiise  as  a  corporation.  This  last  clause  was  construed  to  mean 
its  corporate  life. 

Under  this  ruling  by  the  court,  the  transfer  of  all  its  property  and 
franchise  was  made  by  a  legal  sale  to  a  third  party,  and  by  him  to 
the  bondholders,  who  became  the  preferred  stockholders  of  the 
road,  with  all  the  rights  and  powers  of  the  original  stockholders  to 
hold  the  property  and  complete  the  enterprise. 

CAUSK  OP'  DKLAY  in  its  CONSTRTrCION. 

More  than  a  3'ear  of  diligent  effort  on  the  part  of  iho  Directors  was 
spent  in  saving  the  N.  P.  R.  R.  from  overthrow  and  absolute  anni- 
hilation, and  in  securing  the  creditors  all  the  assets.  This  was  to 
all  api)earance  a  transaction  niost  creditable  to  the  he  d  and  the 
heart  of  tlje  directors.  The  creditors  had  all  their  own  property 
for  their  bonds,  if  they  should  choose  to  accept  it.  About  §24,00,000 
of  bonds  were  given  up  for  preferred  stock.  Some  millions  were 
e.xchanged  for  lands.  Some  bonds  are  still  held  back,  yet  provision 
is  still  made  for  their  transfer  for  stock  or  lands. 

Valuk  of  tiik  two  Sections  already  Built. 

The  550  miles  of  road  paid  all  current  expenses  and  earned 
$300,000  more,  as  per  report  of  1S7G.  Of  this  surplus  the  105  miles 
of  the  Pacific  division  earned  |G0,000  over  its  expenses. 

New  Sections  Built  in  1877. 

During  the  last  twelve  months  the  Directors  have  built  03  miles  ol 
road,  connecting  its  eastc/n  division  at  Brainard  with  the  railroad> 
at  St.  I'aul,  Minnesota;  and  ;5l  miles  connecting  its  western  terminus 
witU  the  vaat  coal  fieldr  of  the  Puyallup  valley. 


4 


of  its  iinmoili- 

ly  legal  course 

woro  its  bond- 

I  first  i)roposed, 
iiwyors,  that  its 

l)ut  that  its  r,it() 
lir  c'onsfniction 
eriirise  must  be 
g  in  Now  York 
sale. 

lUs  timlov  their 
Board  of  J)irec- 
irs.  One  plan 
sh  would  satisfy 
s  done,  to  sf>nie 
forced  transfer, 
le  property,  the 
le  corporate  life 
rec'itors.  They 
:>1  their  charter, 
y  :U,  1870),  ex- 
'acilic    Railroad 

and  e<[uipuient 

II  its  pro[)erty  of 
d,  including  its 
iistrued  to  mean 

ts  property  and 

and  by  him  to 

k holders  of  the 

stockholders  to 


r. 

le  Directors  was 

absolute  anni- 

This  was  to 

he  d   and   the 

own    properly 

Lbout  $24,00,000 
millions   were 

\i,  yet  provision 


iiii/r. 

OS    and    earne'l 
IS  the  105  miles 

(S. 


nllt  03  miles  ol 
th  the  railroa(l> 
ester  n  terminus 


15 

Its  Ownkrship. 

The  whole  lino  is  owned  by  its  present  stockholders.  It  is  free 
from  debt,  and  is  payinj^  no  intert!.-st — unles.-.  it  be  on  the  sections 
built  this  3'ear —while  Us  earnings  are  increasing  annually. 

What  thk  Road  a.^ks  of  Conoress. 

As  the  time  of  its  franchise  expires  soon  by  limitation,  it  earnestly 
asks  an  extension  o!"  time  to  complete  the  through  line. 

Tin:  Road  not  Rksi-oxsiule  fou  tiik  Delay. 

The  railroad  was  not  responsible  for  the  failure  of  Messrs.  .1. 
Cook  iV:  Co,  its  financial  agents.  It  has  not  beee  responsible  for  the 
panic  and  the  business  failures  tliat  have  swept  over  the  United 
States  and  l<]uropo  like  a  hurricane  during  the  last  four  years.  It  is 
not  responsible  for  tlie  unsettled  conilition  of  politicrs  or  of  the  cur- 
rency. It  has  done  nothing  to  (;oni((licate  the  lal)or  question,  or  lay 
unjust  burdens  on  poor  working  men.  It  has  earnestly  desired  the 
opportunity  to  go  forward  and  etnploy  thousands  of  the  unemi)loyed 
in  completing  its  line  from  the  Missouri  to  the  Columbia  and  the 
Paeilic, 

If  Ghaxtki),  TirK  Govkunmk.n  r  and  Pp:ople  WiLXi  he  (tainers. 

It  asks  no  additional  subsidy.  It  is  content  with  the  lands 
granted,  most  ot  which  have  yen  no  value,  but  to  which  its  construc- 
tion will  give  value.  It  expects  to  give  the  same  value  to  an  equal 
amount  of  contiguous  governnu'ut  land;  wliich  has  now  no  appreci- 
able value  in  any  market  of  the  world. 

It  is  ax  Invesemiont  to  cueate  Vames  where  none  exist  now. 

The  road  expects  to  earn  its  subsidy  as  itgo.es  along,  mile  b\'  mile 
and  se'-tion  by  section.  Tills  is  trii(M)f  every  railroad  tiirougli  an 
unsetfled  country.  It  thus  does  not  claim  or  ask  the  sub:^idy  as  a 
gift,  but  only  as  an  opportunity  to  confer  an  etjual  and  even  greater 
value  upon  the  governmoiU,  lor  the  trust  thus  long  put  in  its 
koopiug. 

The  Road  has  Deen  a  Sri  fereu. 

It  shared  its  measure  of  loss  and  sulVering  and  delay  on  account  of 
the  grt^at  lailuro,  and  the  greater  liuancial  disasters  tiial  ensued,  and 
the  general  disturbiuic*^  of  public  alVairs.  All  those  things  were  un- 
foreseen and  beyond  its  control.  They  have  ciuised  the  road  an 
unavoidable  loss  of  money  and  of  time.  The  nioncr'^  (run  bo  (sarned 
again  by  the  completed  road  for  its  creditors,  if  (_'  .igioss  will  merely 
grant  an  extension  of  time  to  do  it.  This  priviijge  will  not  cost  the 
government  a  dollar.  A;-  a  business  [u-inciple  it  is  not  withheld  but 
promptly  given  by  man  to  man  in  all  the  circles  ,>f  commercial  en- 
terprise To  refuse  it  is  like  the  old  law  of  putting  a  poor  delitor  in 
jail  in  order  to  compel  him  to  pay  liis  debts.  It  is  ji  domand  for  the  ^'(/le 
monrj/ or  the  i»>i(ii(l<)/  fl<:sk/^  When  undiustood,  men  will  not  do 
this  unkindness.  VVe  must  hope  and  believe  that  Congress,  urged 
by  the  voice  of  the  [teople,  will  grant  tlu>  North  Tai-ifitr  Railroad  an 
extension  of  time  to  complete  its  road  under  its  charter. 

Its  Plan  of  Co.Mei.ioriox. 

A  plan  I'Ms  been  proposed  and  eariu!stly  advocated  by  several  of 
its  Directors  to  hasten  this  completion  Ijy  commencing  next  year  on 
the  Missouri,  working   westward,   and   on   the   Columbia   near   the 


i 


w^ 


18  . 

irouth  of  the  Snake  river,  working  eastward  as  rapidly  as  possible 
until  the  two  sections  meet  in  Montana.  In  order  to  do  this  it  is  pro- 
posed llmt  tiie  conipjuiy  sell  thoir  lands  iit  the  K'^vornment  land  oHl- 
ces.  gel  the  niinnnmn  price  of  S'^ 'A)  per  aero,  give  titles  to  pur- 
chasers, use  the  proceeds,  with  the  prospective  earnings  of  the  roads, 
to  build  the  line  east  and  west,  and  also  to  give  credit  and  a  good 
sale  to  new  bonds  which  may  be  issued  to  perfect  the  sclieine.  The 
object  of  the  Directors  is  ostensibly  to  build  the  road  and  not  to  spec- 
ulate in  tlie  lands.  For  this  object  the  subsidy  is  entrusted  to  them. 
They  want  settlements  and  steady  ])usiness  along  the  wiiolo  lino. 
This  plan  to  put  their  lands  in  th(»  cotnuion  niarko-  with  the  oven 
sections  hold  by  the  government,  will,  no  doubt,  satisfy  all  the  de- 
mands of  sfitiers  and  win  a  just  commendation  from  all  the  people. 
It  is  to  he  hoped  that  it  will  meet  the  approbation  of  the  eniiro  Board, 
and  be  placed  on  their  records  and  in  the  provisions  of  the  bill  for 
extension  of  time. 

Bran'ch  Road  to  Puokt  Sound. 

Some  objection  has  been  made  to  their  retention  of  the  subsidy  for 
the  l)ranch  road  from  the  Snake  river  through  the  Yakima  \  alley  to 
Puget  Soimd.  It  is  evident  tliatsiich  a  branch  is  neeJed.  The  sur- 
ve.vs  sliow  easj-  grades.  The  main  valle.y  and  its  alHueiits  are  rich 
in  resources,  and  if  allowed  time  there  is  little  doubl  but  that 
the  N.  P.  R.  R.  will  ultimately  build  this  road.  But  if  not,  let  some 
other  cou)pany  do  it. 

IXTERCOMMUNTCATION   ESSENTIAL. 

Rev.  Dr.  Field,  a  recent  observer  in  Greece,  where  he  is  still,  re- 
marks that  the  interior  of  tiiat  country  is  less  advance<l  than  the 
capital.  The  great  want  is  that  of //)/<'>v(rt^  coimiiiinicafion.  "(Treeee 
is  a  country  niade  b.y  nature  for  commerce  and  agri(!«ilture,  and  if  a 
few  short  railroads  were  oi)oned  to  connect  tlio  inland  valleys  with 
the  sea,  so  that  the  farmers  and  peasants  could  send  their  produce  to 
market,  the  exports  nf  the  country  niiglii  be  doubled.  A  line  of  one 
hundred  miles  would  connect  them  with  the  railroad  system  of  Fu- 
rojjc.     Such  a  road  would  give  them  uo,\v  life." 

Dr.  Field  here  rtjveals  the  secret  also  of  their  historic  provincial- 
ism. It  is  intercommunication  which  makes  a  people  one  in  interesi 
and  thought.  The  lack  of  the  former  defeats  the  lait(^r.  Hy  quick 
and  free  intercommunication  we  become  one  people.  Without  it  we 
are  only  a  company  of  provinces,  feebly  lioiind  together,  ajjt  to  be 
jealous,  and  without  ent(;rprise.  Every  argument  urges  the  com- 
l)leti()n  of  this  direct  means  of  intercourse  and  this  bond  of  connec- 
tion with  the  great  body  of  our  nation. 

ViKw.s  OF  THE  Directors. 

In  a  conversation  with  ("apt.  .1.  O.  Ainsworth,  one  of  the  I)irectors 
of  the  N.  P.  R.  R.,  he  saysdisiinctl,v  that  it  is  the  judgment  and  the 
purpose  of  some  of  the  Directors  of  the  Northern  Pacific  Railroad, 
with  whom  he  fully  agrees  in  the  plan  to  urge  the  sale  of  their  lands 
in  the  government  land  ollices,  at  the  minimum  price  fixed  of  $2  .")() 
per  acre,  and  to  use  the  i)rocecds  with  other  funds  at  once  to  connect 
the  Columbia  and  Missouri  rivers  by  railroad,  and  thence  to  extend' 
the  road  westward,  on  the  south  side  of  the  Columbia  to  Port- 
land on  the  Willamette,  and  thence  to  Paget  Sound. 


-      I 

'V'li 

thi 
wli 
«;ar 

I''"' 

'■A\h' 
r:ii 
iiil 
(n 
It 
tiie 
bini 
tiol 

the 


17 


dly  as  possible 
lo  this  it  is  i»r«>- 
inmit  land  otli- 

titlo-t  to  jxir- 
Ss  of  the  roiids, 
lit  and  a  good 
5  scheme.  The 
tid  not  to  si)e(!- 
•tisted  to  them, 
le    wiiolo   lino. 

w'itli  tiio  even 
isfy  all  the  de- 
all  thn  people. 
10  eiiiiro  iioard. 
of  tlic  bill   for 


the  subsidy  for 
kinia  \ alley  to 
led.  Tlio  sur- 
uents  are  rich 
doubt  but  that 
f  not,  let  some 


he  is  still,  re- 
inced  than  the 
timi.  "(iroece 
Iture,  and  if  a 
1  valleys  with 
oil-  i)roduco  to 
A  lino  of  one 
system  of  Ku- 

ic  provincial- 
one  in  intoresi 
r.  Hyq  nick 
Without  it  we 
her,  apt  to  be 
rgos  the  com- 
tid  of  connec- 


the  I)irectors 
rniont  and  the 
itic  Railroad, 
of  their  lands 
ixod  of  $2  .')() 
CO  to  connect 
nee  to  extend" 
ibia   to    Port- 


fllK   COLU.MIUA   RiVKIt  ANK  ITS  Tllinr  lAUIES— CoMM  KP.Cl  Al,    STATUS 
AM>    iMl'i.KrAMK. 
It  is  a  maxim  of  commerre,    i)olli    ti  rrouc   and   marine,  thai    the 

<^viigitn  must,  iiu'vt  thcuhip  fttul  the  .ship  the  if(i;/o,i.  Facis  illustrate 
this  axiom  from  earliest  times  to  the  present  in  all  countries, 
u  lietlu-r  >:;o(iil.-;  liavc  in'cu  moved  to   the  sea  by    llie  lonii  caravan  of 

camels,  as  iu  .\>ia,  or  by  ilie  slow  wains  of  central  and  norlhern  lOu- 
V(>[>v  and  America,  leachiu'^  lii^t  the  rivers  and  shallower  bays,  thence 
on  li^rlit  boats  and  bar^'es  to  the  ^!lip;  cw  wlietlusr,  as  in  recent  times, 
tln^  vast  and  vaiied  products  of  liu*  country  reach  tliosoa  by  the  swifter 
railroad  trains.  'I'lie  exelianuc  of  the  products  of  the  sea  must  <^n 
inland  |jy  tiu'sc  letiirn  train.-,.  This  iseomnu'rce.  Thi.s  is  Ifir  jirnltliini)/ 
(r(iii'<j'(>r/ii/inii.  'this  is  the  krv  to  tlie  busy  hum  of  seaport  cities. 
It  is  the  factor  wiiicli,  more  than  any  other,  excites  slocks.  It  is  now 
tiio  motive  ot  railioad  and  steamshij)  lines,  as  it  was  a  few  years 
tsince  of  canals  ami  river  steamlioat  comiianies.  It  is  the  chief  (pu's- 
tion  tliat  enters  into  the  nuMvliant's  estinuitc  of  his  prolils,  and  into 
the  laruicr's  account  ot'  h.s  iui-ouu'. 

Tino  l.Mi'ouiANci:  ok  riiis  Hioiiway. 

For  e.\am])le,  wliou  wheat  sells  iu  San  J-'rancisco  at  §-  3.")  j)er  cen- 
tal, and  only  at  .*-J  It)  per  cental  iu  Portland  or  Astoria,  the  dilfer- 
ePiCe  is  1.')  cents  per  bushel  against  tin'  farmer  of  <  >fe;;()n  or  Wash- 
iuijton.  His  loss  is  l"!  iiorcent.  as  ratitl  by  the  ijuslxl,  or  2.")  percent. 
])er  luo  ll).s.  On  li.n  bushels  he  loses  si.");  on  1,(m)0,  ,-;ir)(»;  on  10,000, 
^l,r)(ii);  on  ion, 111)0,  .si.-,,ooi;  on  l.doo.uoo  ini^hels  the  comnnmity  of 
farmers  lose  ,-^l'>0.0O(i,  and  on  rt,(iiMi,oi»o  bushels,  the  estimated  ex- 
jiort  of  wheat  the  present  year,  their  loss  is  S7.J0,O00.  The  commis- 
sion nu'rchants  of  the  Stale  lose  a  larae  percent,  of  |)rolit.  in  the 
translV'r  oT  tlu!  luisine-s  lo  the  markei  below.  Ve!:  tin*  fact  is  estab- 
lished that  ships  can  c<uue  fioin  anj'  port  of  Asia  or  lOurope  lo  the 
entrance  of  tiie  (.olumbia  river  as  easii,v,  and  as  <]uickly  and  as 
.    cheaply  as  to  llie  entrance  of  the  Golden  (jlate. 

Off  Shoiif.  Soindixos. 

The  late  oil"  shore  ■.oundinuN  by  the  1'.  S.  Coast  Survey  steam  euttei" 
JIa.-<.slvi\  ('apt.  (i(,'o.  ^V.  Collin  i-ommanding,  which  occupied  two 
montl)s.  .Inly  a..d  August,  isTT,  ^ives  the  following  f;>e,ts,  which  are 
kindly  furnished  frouj  the  ollicial  records: 

1st — extoit  of  siirvci/ — From  I'ape  Disappointment  northward  to 
Yoke  Point  lighthouse,  'l(j]->  miles  of  coast  line  and  aljout  13  miles 
out  tf)  .'^ea. 

Fron>  Cape  Disapiioininu'ut  southward  to  False  Tillamook  Head, 
•  31,'j  miles  of  coast  line  and  Vi  miles  out  to  sea. 

Total  square  miles  surseyed,  M2. 

liinos  of  soundiuiis  were  I'-  miles  apart  b.y  slrp.  Lines  of  sound- 
ings were  traversed  in  to  It  feet  by  boats. 

SOUTUKHN    SHKET. 

2d — Untiij  i)/  (itcrcasr  of  ihplh  lo  distance  o_[f'  shore. 

Off  north  channel,  due    we.~t  line,  it  is  live  fathoms  to  the  mile. 
Olf  Point  Ailams,  due  west  line,  it  is  .")  fathoms  to  tlio  mile. 
Oil   IJen  lioUaday's,  due  west  hue,  it  is  4  fathoms  to  the  mile. 
OllTillauiook  Head,  duo  west  line,  it  is  ,")':,  fathoms  to  the  mile. 
OlV  False  Tillamook  Iliad,  due  west  line,  it  is  5)4  fathoms  to   the 
mile. 


18 

NOUTICEUN  SHKKT. 

Off  Stout's  houMO,  duo  west  line,  it  is   4  iiitlioiiis  por  milo. 

Off  point  rnidwiiy  iiotwren  t'lipo  Disjippoliitnioiit  liHlitiiouso  and 
FiCadl)ottor'M  point,  is  .'{'■j  i'lUlionis  por  milo. 

Off  liOiidhotlcrVs  point,  <luo  west  lino  it  is  .'Ui   t'lithonis  per    jnilo. 

Off  Yoko  I'oint  liglitlu)us(\  Slioahvntcr  bay,  it  is  :'>'.i  liithonis  por 
milo. 

3d — [noreaso  of  doi)tli  to  seaward  in  a  direclion  oil"  the  south  chan- 
nol  (main  ship  channel),  it  is   i.'a  I'athoiiis  toono  milo. 

Jth — Licrcd.sc  itf  ilcjiUi   to  Kuidhininl. 

At  2  miles  to  seaward  from  Point  Adams,  west,  is  found  r»,'i 
I'atliums, 

At  '1  miles  to  seaward  from  (irimos's  house,  west.  Is  found  11 
fathoms. 

At  2  miles  to  seaward  from  Tillamook  Head,  west,  is  found  ;!o 
fathoms. 

At  '1  miles  to  seaward  from  midway  between  Tillamook  and  False 
Ttllamook  Head,  west,  20  fathoms. 

At-  2  miles  to  seaward  from  False  Tillamook  Head,  west,  is  found 
32  fathoms. 

(Jl'llUKNTS. 

oth — Ontsidr  of  4  or  (i  miles  aro  eoast  currents  parallel  to  the 
shore  line,  to  the  southward  in  suntmer  and  nortliward  in  winter, 
whoso  velocities  aro  very  dependent  on  local  winds,  which,  when 
stronjj;,  often  reverse  tlie  current. 

iK.siifc  of  .')  or  a  miles,  the  currents  seem  to  be  j^overned  Ijy  the 
outlhjw  and  inllow  of  the  Columbia  river  (south  of  Cape  Disappoint- 
ment). North  of  Capo  Disiippoiulment  .'Shoal water  bay  aifects  the 
current  in  shore  more  than  the  Columljia  river,  Shoa'v. ater  bay 
beinf^  of  larj^e  area  and  almost  dry  and  bare  at  low  watf^r.  The  inflow 
eausrs  a  stront;;  set  close  in  shore  to  the  northwaiil  almost  alwaj's; 
the  outllow  apparently  not  running  down  in  shore,  but  Joinint;  the 
coast  (!urrent  further  ontside.  This  is  apparently  due  to  the  conform- 
ation of  the  land  about  tiie  entianco  to  .*5hoalwater  bay. 

I)  I  SCO  no  I  tin)  Watku. 

(Uh — The  distance  outside  of  the  bar  at  which  discolored  water  may 
be  seen  varies  with  circumstances.  (Jood  sijjfus  to  the  navi<^ator  are 
the  strouf?  tide  rips  met  with  oil  the  Ixir,  and  to  the  northward  and 
southwaril  of  it — sometimes  as  far  as  10  and  !;">  miles,  but  rarely  more 
than  five  or  six  miles  to  seaward  of  the  bar. 

l'iiia'Ai:TioN. 

7th — Vessels  in  doubt  as  to  position  would  do  well  to  keep  outside 
of  2o  fathoms  in  bad  weather,  loj;-,  etc.  The  Ijoats  of  the  survej'  de- 
veloped deep  water  between  'J'illamook  rock  and  the  Head,  and  prob- 
ably larjie  vesscils  may  pass  through  in  ease  of  necessity  or  to  avoid 
otlier  dangers,  though  the  passage  /.s  not  rcco)i)vie)uled. 

InI'KUENCE. 

The  Columbia  river  has  prol)abIy  cut  a  channel  througli  this  vast  bed. 

These  official  .statements  assure  the  navigator  approaching  the  bar 
of  his  mode  of  .safety,  and  furnish  him  many  hints  to  find  his  posi- 
tion by  the  lead  and  by  the  currents,  evenif  tlie  land  marks  are  hid- 
den.    If  they  are  .seen,  his  course  is  plain. 


th 
in 
m 
k. 


19 


ar  mile. 

t  liylithonso  and 

thniiis  i»L'r   milo. 
fJJi  I'ttthoinH  pel" 

['  tho  south  c'haii- 
lo. 


■it,  is  found  a.'ij 
vest,  is  found  11 
.'ost,  is  found  ;!o 
iinook  and  False 
1,  west,  is  found 


^  parallel  to  tlio 
iward  in  winter, 
Is,   wliicli,  Wiien 

jovornod  by  tho 
'ape  Disappoint- 
'  bay  iillbets  tlio 
Shoa'v. ator  I)ay 
;it(M-,  'I'ho  inflow 

almost  ahvaj's; 
I  but  joiiiin.ii  tlio 

to  tho  conform- 

y- 

lored  water  may 
10  navifijator  are 
northward  and 
but  rarely  more 


to  keep  outside 

tho  survey'  de- 

lload.  and  prob- 

sity  or  to  avoid 


^li  this  A'ast  bed. 

)achiiig  the  bar 

Lo  find  his  posi- 

marks  are  hid- 


Channei,, 

The  sontli  oliannol  avoraf^os  a  lialf  niilo  in  width,  and  '20';  foot  at 
mean  low  water,  and  live  fathoms  in  liiKh  water;  with  smootli,  hard 
,  sand  bottom,  free  from  roelxs,  well  buoytd  and  mainly  <lireet,  with 
few  alteraljoiis  of  the  >hip's  conr.-c  into  the  river  ciiannel. 

The  slijtiiiiij;  .sands  nhieii  loim  (  latsop  Spit  and  Point  A<lanis  on 
the  sontli  side  of  the  channel,  and  Sand  Island  and  its  spits  oxtond- 

Iing  westward  on  the  north  side  of  the  ehaiincl,  are  broken  and 
moved  by  tides  and  currents,  which  sweep  tliroufili  llie  idiannol, 
keeping  ir  open    iiilVll  meiisMre  of  depth  aiul  widtli. 

If  the  imrtli  clianiicl  ^nows  shiiUnwcr,  whii'lithi-  last  survey  in- 
dicates, tlio  south  cliannol  will  doubtless  deepen  to  tho  siinie  extent. 

DHAl'T    Of   ^'I'.ssKI,S. 

Vessels  driiwiiiir  iJi!  and  l!".  feet  loaded  have  passed  and  repassed 
the  bur  at  hi^^h  tide.  l'r(!sont  surveys  show  that  vessels  drawing 
-\  feet  of  water  can  always,  on  lialf  tide,  como  to  Astoria  with  a 
pilot,  but  lietter  with  a  pilot  and  tujj.  N'essels  driiwin^  17  feet 
can  always,  pass  and  lepass  tho  cliaiiiiel   to  J'ortland  with  a  pilot. 

T!ni>. 

Tides  ri.se  from  tl  to  lo  feet  on  the  bar,  and  from  i'>  to  10  feet  at 
Astoria,  and  from  1   to  'J.  feet  at   roitiand,   I'Jo    tiiilos   inland. 

IJiN  Kl!    ANO    llAintOl!    1  M  IMtOVIC.M  KNTS. 

The  Initod  States,  iu  aecfordance  witli  its  liberal  policy,  has 
kept  ollicieiit  superintendents  of  survey  and  of  linlithou-sos  and 
luioys,  and  furnished  these  luaterials  and  erected  these  strueturos 
for  the  l)eiielit  ol Coniuierci'  foi- several  _\('ars  jkisi.  of  late  d rod, L^ers 
Iiavo  boon  addi.-d,  and  IVesli  parties  have  been  kept  at  work  on 
coast  and  river.  Charts  have  been  made  with  more  niinuto  and 
accurate!  meiisuionicnts.  'i'ho  rivor  and  adjacent  ocean  lied  aro 
iKH'omiiiL!;  perfectly  ploUeil,  so  ihal  when  these  maps  and  charts 
shall  all  be  issued  lo  inai'iners  from  the  t;o\('rnnient  ollic<\  tho  safety 
of  naviiiation,   with  ordinary  care,  will   1)0  assured  more,"  definitely. 

It  is  also  nvisonablo  lo  expect  liirp.>r  f^overnmont  outlays  and 
increased  ellicioncy^  to  observe  chanties,  to  jilant  more  buoys  and 
shore  signals,  and  lo  onipio;)-  drodf^ers  of  more  power  anil  capac- 
'  ity,  thus  lurninn'  the  vast  body  of  rivor  water  into  the  deeper  and 
thus  deepening  channel.  We  have  no  reason  to  think  that  tho 
Columbia  i'i\(>r  will  ever  have  less  ca!>acity  f)f  cominerce,  as  fur- 
nished by  nature,  but  more,  as  guided  by  slcillful  engineers, 
anthori/od  and  snpjiorted  iiy  tlie  government. 

DiSASTEU.S    ox    TJIK    JJaR. 

The  facts  of  navigation  above  considered  affect  «!onnnercial  insu- 
rance, l)ut  absolute  wreck  at  the  ontranco  of  harbors  is  a  greater 
terror  to  underwriters  than  the  perils  of  the  liigh  .seas,  IJeport  of 
such  disaster  renders  the  insurer  timid  and  stamps  a  bad  fame 
upon  tlio  entrance  to  liarbor  or  river  mouth,  'i'ho  evil  reputation 
increases  as  it  beoomes  (uirrent.  An  article  iiublished  in  the  Alfa 
California.  ^Nlaivh  lit,  IS7:5,  from  tho  pen  of  ('apt.  Wm.  Tlohenor, 
of  Port  Orford,  and  written  iu  February,  1872,  remarlcs:  "On  the 
northwest  coast  of  the  I'nitod  States,  between  the  Bay  of  San 
Francisco  and  Fugot  Sound,  a  distance  measured  by  more  than 
ten  degrees  of  latitude,  there  is  no  harbor  a  vessel  can  enter  in 
heavy  southern  weather." 


20 

IIo  »1(1(1h:  "Tho  Columbia  rlvor.  latltudt-  i(\°  12\  lonptltiulo  1240  oo\ 
liiiH  a  l)iirrt'il  liiubnr.  Miiiiy  tlisiistt'iH,  ami  soiiio  ot  a  t'carl'iil  cliar- 
atrtor,  luivu  ociMirnd  upon  tlm  bar.  Amtmvr  ollicrs  I  now  rci-ol- 
loc't  till)  loss  of  tliti  (I'liiiral  Waritu,  Captain  Thomijsmi,  willi  .'I'J 
liorsoiis;  liio  Dinxii'tat,  of  Now  York,  (apt.  Collins,  wjtli  !i;  tbc 
\'i)\r/iniii,  ('apt.  Ilird,  \villi  10;  and  tlio  lii'histri/,  with  most  ot 
tho  oIllcciN  and  crow.  Cninmodoio  Hudson,  of  iho  siooj)  of  war 
Vinci'iiuf,^,  told  me,  I  think  in  \f<'<2,  that  lui  had  visited  most  ol 
tho  ports  on  tiio  Kb'bc,  and  tiiat  nono  jircstMitcd  suidi  terrors  to 
liini  as  liitMMitranco  of  tlio  ('olumi)ia  river.  He  lost  tho  sloop  of 
war  I'cKC'fL  thi-ro  in,  I  bcli(i\i«,  bshi.  L''"'.v  l**,  IS|1,  is  tiie  eor- 
reel  date]  Cajtt.  Hudson  iiad  no  pilot.  The  .S'A'O/,  was  lost  at 
tho  same  time. 

"Tho  dread  in  whleh  it  was  held  l),v  mariners  in  earlier  years 
has,  In  a  ^reai  measure  disappeared,  tinder  tiie  inlluene(*  of  a  l)et- 
ter  aef|uaintanec  with  it,  and  l>y  I  ho  aid  of  the  tiioroiiuii  and  edlei- 
c'ient  i)ilots  enujatied  upon  it.  Iliii  it  i-»  not  one  of  those  danL;i'rs 
tiio  familiarity  willi  which  will  ever  breed  contempt.  'I'liere  is  not 
mueh  detention  in  jiettin;;?  to  sea  in  the  summer  months,  but  durin;; 
the  heavy  pales  of  winttu*  vessels  dare  n<>t  aiiproaeh  tiiol)ar,  and  are 
comix'lled  to  lie  oil  and  f>n  somcitiiiH^s  for  wecl\s,  wailing'  for  the 
sea  to  run  down.*'  "l'"roin  Islii  to  |>«r)l  the  Hudson  I?iiy  Com- 
pany had  navigated  tluf  Columbia.  Some  of  tlieir  pilots  had.  in 
18.')1,  been  in  their  employ  on  tiie  l)ar  and  river  lor  over  ihirty 
years." 

The  o<litor  of  the  .1/^/  remarks;  "  ft  is  to  bo  ro;:rctied  that  it 
is  impossible  to  improve  the  entrance  ot  tlie  ('olumbia  river, 
which,  in-ide  the  bar.  iias  ii  I.ulic,  de(>p  iiiil  se-urc  bay,  and  has 
u  thousand  miles  ot  channel  suitable  for  navii:ation  by  larjio  rivor 
steamers.  We  say  that  improvement  is  an  impos.sil)ility — nt  least 
it  is  impi'obable.  'file  lireakers  are  so  tierce,  and  i\u:  sands  at 
the  bottom  of  the  entrance  so  treacherous,  that  no  breakwater 
eoidd  stand."  To  com;  letr-  this  uloomy  pi>  tiire  the  Alt'i  publisheii 
a  list  of  disasters  ixirth  of  iSmi  l-'roncisvo,  from  the  pen  of  T.  ]{. 
Shannon,  t.'ollector  at  San  l<"raneiseo,  under  tlie  direction  of  the 
United  Slates  Treasury  l>ep!Utm<'nt,  Iron  .bmnary  J,  ISill,  to  l)e- 
cembor  151,  lS(i!t — nine  .Acars.  Vet  in  this  list  of  1!)S  disasters,  IKi 
wore  small  coastinu,'  schooners,  plyiiiLv  along  shore,  and  only  thri'e 
oecurred  on  tho  ("olumbia  rivi'r  bar,  viz; 

//fJV.V. 

In  May,  ISdl,  brig    H'rc/r/y'rcA'/'  stranded .'^  .•>i),oi)(i 

In  Mareii,  180.').  bark  JiK/ir.sfn/  wre(d<ed 7i>,(MI(i 

In  May,   ISdT,   bark    II".  Jl.  Srinn'mi  wrecked' 22ri,000 

Total  amount s:i;U),noo 

This  is  a  relative  loss  of  only  ouo  and  a  half  per  ei;nt.  in  niiK; 
years,  or  of  one-sixth  of  one  per  cent,  for  one  year, 

Hut  the  impression  made  by  such  statements,  massed  togotiier, 
is  to  damage  tho  reputation  of  tlu*  Columbia  river  liar. 

Hon.  D.  C.  Ireland,  Clerk  of  the  lloard  of  I'ilot  Commissioners, 
attests  that  only  nine  vessels  havo  been  wrecked  at  or  near  tho 
Columbia  rivor  bar  in  tho  last  Iwonty-livo  .years.  Five  of  those 
wore  coming  in  without  a  j>ilot,  and  the  loss  of  tlio  others  was 
due  to  tho  loss  of  wind  and  tho  lack  of  a  tug.  Since  tho  tugs 
havo  been  put  on  there  has  been  no  loss,  except  tho  Architect, 
coming  in  without  a  pilot.      Those  nine  disasters,  in  about    12,500 


Croi 

oiuj 

if 

')ias| 


CJ 
\vas| 

tranl 
\Mrl 

•v\ 

fa'hf 
has 
tlde,| 
mill 
Td 


21 


Kltildo  l'J4°  00\ 
IV  ft'iirl'iil  clmr- 
N  1  now  icfol- 
iltstiii,  Willi  ."i:: 
»,  Willi  St;  the 
Willi    most  III 

0  sloop  of  war 
visiied  most  ot 
■iucli  torrors  to 
St  llio  sloop  oi 
•ill,  is  tlif  cor- 
u-lc  WHS  lost  at 

1  t'liflior  years 
IIOIKH*  of  n  liot- 
iiuli  iiiul  odlci- 

tllosu  rliiliiicls 
;.  'riicic  is  not 
lis,  1)11!  dmin;.' 
Ii(!  bar,  and  arc 
kiiiliii;;'  for  llic 
on     I5ay    Coni- 

pilots  liad.  in 
tor   over  iliirly 

^;>rcl!cd  that  it 
iliinibia    rivor. 

I>;iy.  and  lias 
liy  hir;;i>  rivrjr 
lility — at  loast 
I  lli<r  sands  at 
lo    l)rcul<wator 

lt'(  piililislu'd 
pen  of  T.  J{. 

I'riloll    of    till' 

i^fli,    to    l)c- 

disastcrs,  1  id 

nd  only  tliri'C 

//O.S.S. 

-S  .•^0,000 

7i'>, ()(»() 

225,00(1 

s;i;5(),noo 

(;nt.  in  nin(« 

I'd    logotlior, 
li-. 

|iiniissionors, 

or  noiir  tlio 

I'lvo  of  those 

others  was 

n(ro  tho  tiius 

lio   Architect, 

]bout    12,500 


brosslnKs  of   tho    bar,    duHnpr  twonty-flve  years,  Is  about  7-100  of 
Oiif  |>fr  ccnl. 

lion.  Wni.   Hold,  Hoorotiiry  of  tho   Hoard    ot    Triulo  of  Portland, 

liiis  coiiipili'd  aiiionu;  others  tho  folio\vin^ 

Ti;sri>ro\Y  ok  Mahinkrs. 

Capt.  MiiKinn,  when  President  of  the  Now  York  Board  of  Pilots, 
>vas  iiistrnete(l  to  report  his  opinion  as  to  tho  merits  of  the  «n- 
tranee  to  th(>  ("oiunibia  river  conipared  with  tho  entrance  to  Now 
\ork.     lie  says; 

Tiiere  is  d('e|»  w  iter  on  the  bar,  il  liaving  fonr  and  ono-half 
fa'liiiiiis  witliont  (lie  aildition  of  llio  tide,  wliilo  New  York  liarlior 
bas  on  tiie  l>ar  but  four  lathoiiis,  wiliiont  tho  nddilion  of  the 
tide,  wliieli  is  six  feel.  'I'lie  bar  in  tho  Cdiiinbia  is  al.'oiit  half  a 
niile  aeross.   wliile  tliat  of  New   York  is  tlirvo-iinarters   of   a    mile. 

'I'bn  t'hannei  of  llio  bar  at  llie  month  of  tho  Columbia  is  about 
6,<i'  ■<  feet,  iind  slioals  ^;radnaily,  while  tho  (diannel  of  llii'  iiar  at 
Sandy  Hook  is  aliont  0()(l  feet,  and  shoals  rapidly;  tho  ehaniud 
«eni-s  I  he  bar  is  ;.traiy;ht  at  the  Colunibia;  thai  at  New  York  is 
Ornoki'd.  In  aei'essiljility  to  tlie  sea  the  Colunilna  rivor  is  llio 
best,  as  it  is  immediately  at  sea,  and  ships  can  get  ont  of  tho  sea 
Intii  the  liarbor  at  oiiee,  and  also  <j;ei  out  at  oneo  into  tlio  hi,u;h  soa. 
The  winds  at  tin;  month  of  the  Columbia  are  mark(>d  reirnlar  and 
stiMdy,  while  the  winds  at  New  York  are  entirely  varialile,  and 
Oaiiin  I  br  ealeiilaleil  upon  by  the  mariner  for  any  time,  'llio 
mouth  of  tho  (.'olumbia  is  free  from  ieo  and  ^j;rtat  heal. 

Tlio  San   Franeiseo  ('"niiiirrciiil     //crutil  of  May  2ist,   IS74,   says: 

"'llio  bur  at  the  month  of  tho  Colnml»ia  rivor,  <>roni)n,  has  been 
iriaile  the  m'oiiud  of  a  very  unjust  and  unreasonable  diserimina- 
tion  of  rales  ot'  insuraneo  on  vessels  bound  into  tlio  ri\in'.  Tho 
number  of  easnalties  tliat  have  oeemred  there  is  j'rirrr  th'Oi  Unit  <>/ 
ail,'/  I't/icr  liiin'cil  I'icrc  kiioini   to  citm iiicrcc.^' 

Ol'IMoNS   OF    GoVI,I!XM1;NT    Onii'IALS    AND    MaSTKKS     oi-     VKSSEFiS. 

Tlie  Commissioner  of  tho  (ii^noral  Land  Oirnro  at  Washington,  in 
his  annual  report  to  ('ongress  for  lx7n,  at  pane;  15(),  "Hy  iho  nso 
of  a  steam  liej;  in  crossing  ilie  Columbia  liar,  the  entrance  to  tho 
harbor  is  rondensd  as  sale  as  that  of  ilie  ( Joldoii  (ialo  or  the  Straits 
Of   I'liea." 

,  Cajjt.  «l.  W.  ilarris,  of  tho  U.  S.  Kevenne  Service  (who  has  crossed 
ttie  bar  .-onie  thirty  times),  says;  "The  crossing  of  the  bar  at  the 
nnouth  ot  the  (,'ohimliia  rivor,  with  llu;  onlinary  i)re(!autioiis,  is  as 
sale  as  the  entrance  to  any  bay  or  liaibor  in  the  I'niled  States." 

Capt.  Ilnghes,  masioroftho  ilriiish  ship  Motilf/ontcn/  Ca<stlc,  1,.'}00 
tons  l)urden.  says;  "Tiioro  is  no  more  risk  in  entering  and  leaving 
th(i  Columbia  river,  than  liiere  is  in  coming  into  or  leaving  any  i^ort 
or  liarlior  I  liave  ever  \isiied." 

Capt.  1).  Ilvans,  of  llie  lirilish  ship  Iji  Kucocckci  (who  is  well 
linown),  writing  on  tho  l.)ih  of  April,  IST.'),  says:  "I  consider  a 
TCssel  is  as  safe,  with  the  nso  of  a  steam  tug  and  pilot,  in  entering 
^e  Columbia  river  and  going  over  tho  bar  as  going  into  any  harbor  in 
ordinary  wt;atlior." 

Ca|)l.  (.ieorge  While,  writing  on  tin;  stli  of  May,  i>S75,  .says:  "It  is 
absurd  to  say  that  the  (Columbia  rivor  bar  is  a  very  dangerous  en- 
trance." 


^1 


22 

Capt.  Francis  Connor,  now  commanding  the  steamship  G.  W.  FA- 
flrr,  lias  crossrd  the  Columbia  bar  more  than  07ir  thonsdiid  tivv'y 
durinf,'  tlio  last  foiutcoii  years,  without  a  serious  accident, 

Pri:sknt  extent  of  the    Columbia  I1ivi;h  Commerce,  ah  shown 
nv   the  vr-KET  oe  Ta\. >  Years. 

The  report  of  the  I?oard  ol'  Pilot  Commissioners  to  the  Legislativr 
Assembly,  at  the  ninth  rciiiilar  session— lS7(i,  gives: 

T'c.s«('/.s,    Toiiiiag,. 


Total  arrivals  and  tonnage  ISTI-T'). 

u  I'  «'         ls7")-7'). 


Acgregate  arrivals  and  tonnage  lor  two  years  were... 

Total  exports  lor  1^74-7.")  were 1  iS,l;31 

"  "      '•     is7r)-7t)  \Mre li):J,s;;o 


233 
241 

4 

1 

ItU,;");!'.' 
1  n2,7;"ii 

474 

3o4,2S:' 
]'iiliir. 

:'.rt2,272  -1 

,453,318  ii; 

Aggregate  for  two  full  years. 


.;!10,!l()l 


S1].!S15,5!H)  2: 


Proportion  Ai;RiviN(i  ix  Bam.ast. 

Tho  number  of  vessels  arriving  in  ballast  in  1874-7")  was  71,  aii' 
in  lS7r)-7ti  it  was  7.") — a  lolal  of  1  !ii.   or  about  33  per  cent. 

The  Avf;RAGE  Duait  or  N'esset.s.. 

The  draft  of  incomng  vessels  varied  from  a  small  coasting  sohooni> 
ot  4  feet  to  au  ocean  st(>arier    of  17  feet.     The  average    draft    of  47 
vessels  arriving  was    12   feel.       The  draft  of  the  cutirtUleot  of  vessel' 
departing  from  the  Coluiuliia  varied  IVom  (1  to  2:5  I'eet.     'J'he  avei'a;^ 
draft  of  471   vessels  on  departure  was    14',    leeL.      The    average  drai 
of  tho  whole  grain  lieet  to    Imuoi' ■    on    dei>:irtuie  was  18  feet.       Th. 
averege  draft  of  (iO  of  that  IkeL  loaded  w..-;    1'.),'^    feet.     This  draft  <•; 
loadeil  \essulsis  deelariMl  hy  tfic    largest   J''iiropean  sliipiKjrs  to  imii- 
eate  tlie  lonna:_o  of  the  m()•^:  prohlalile  ships  for  ;4eii(  ral  commerce  ;r 
tiie  present  time.      For  example,  the  JJru.sii  grain   lleet  going  to  tii 
Black  sea  is  comi)osod  of  thiscla^s  of  vessels,  regi-iteriug  from  !»no  i< 
l,l(M)  long  tons,  and  drawing  from  1  t  to  1!)  feet.     Tt  is  found  Ihattli 
larger  el.isses  of  sliips    built   2'>   years  :v,'o,  and    carrying    immeu-i 
cargoes,   liavi.'  long  delays  in    loading,  wiiii    larger  risks  of  naviga- 
tion and  more  dillieulti'--  to  lind  markets. 

These  facts  of  prae'.ical  ex]H;rienee  both  lest  and  settle  the  qnestioi 
of  the  pi'VDi'inntt  rrnniDrn-  nf  t/ir  Vulinabin  rircr.  It  has  been  suji 
posed  tiiat  tll(^  larger  and  deeper  dratt  vessels  were  esseiuial  to  tlv 
most  proiitaiile  comnieri-e.  e>pecially  for  long  \()yages  liiie  tiioso  t' 
Kuropc!.  It  ha^  been  often  said  that  when  a  larger  jjopulation  aii' 
more  capital  can\e  to  our  Northwest,  and  productions  beeamo  quad 
rupled  for  export,  llie  Columbia  river  coinmerce  must  seek  Siii 
1-ranciseoon  small  vessels  anil  lie  transferred  to  larger  ones  to  In 
borne  to  its  Kuropean  markets,  or  else  be  transported  by  railroad  i' 
Puget  Sound  for  the  same  pur[)ose. 

!*!an  Francisco  shippers  and  merchants  nourish  this  sentiment,  aiv 
make  a  strong  pressure  to  r'o»/rrii'  the  largo  and  rapidly  inereasiiu 
exports  of  the  Columbia  river.  T/ir  nvi>:l  tilisiiril  jnirf  of  t/u'.s  sc/inn 
is  that  the  same  classes  of  vessels  will  transi)ort  this  produce  Iron 
the  Golden  Gate  or  Do  Fuea  ^straits  to  Europe  that  now  transport- 
it  from  the  Columbia  river  to  Eorope.     This  double  shipment — mw 


(bei 

l»p< 

a  la 

Whi 

our 

•dd 

kcl 

If  n 

otlu 

sou  I 

of  e( 

ert; 

a  ho 

pri\ 

/or. 

mai 

the  i 

Ohea 

best 

busi 

coin 


I 


23 


nship  G.  W.  FA- 

■  thonMiud  timvs 
cidont. 

-:rce,  as  SHo^v.^ 

» the  Legislativ; 

cs.^ds.    Toiivar/i. 
nil  ]\)2,7:>' 


-i74  :io4,2Sv 

!?  4,;'.92,'J7l!  i^< 

7,45;i,:}!8  (i; 


sii.Mio.rjilO  i:: 

r. 

4-75  Mils  71,  ail' 

I'OIlt. 


?oastinji'  soliooni^ 
njjc    draft    of  47 
j-o  flofit  oi' vesscN 
't.     Tho  averau 
he    avi'rajj;c  drul 
;is  IS  foot.       Tib 
t.     Tliis  draft  o; 
hippors  to  iiuli- 
ral  coiiuiiorco  ii: 
cot  };'<)ing  to  tli' 
riiit;  from  '.tOO  i' 
found  tliatth 
ryi!i:;'   iiuiuon>i 
risks  uf  iiaviiiii- 

ttlo  tho  (luostioi 
It  has  boon  siiji 
ssoiuial  to  til- 
PS  11  ko  those  I' 
jiopidation  aii' 
s  hooaiiio  quad 
Miust  sook  S;ii 
ii'L^or  Olios  to  In 
l)y  railroad  t' 

sontiniont,  an 
liidly  incroasjii: 
mi  of  t/ii.s  scfit'iii 
Is   i)roduce  fron 
|iio\v  transport- 

shipment — nov 


.rtly  in  process — ot  produoo  from  our  ports  to  San  Francisco,  and 
_  eiico  to  I'airope  and  Asia,  is  a  loss  in  freight  which  falls  chiellly 
njion  our  farinors,  of  s.')(»(i,()0()  to  87')0,0OO  annually  now.  It  is  also 
a  larg(>  loss  to  our  business  conimunity,  and  thus  to  the  enterprises 
which  invite  and  enco'iragc  iinini<j,ralion.  If  wo  continue  to  export 
Oiir  raw  material  for  food,  wuol,  hides,  iron  and  lumber,  instead  of 
adding  homo  laiior  to  make  tinishod  iiroducts  for  the  world's  mar- 
kets, as  other  communities  do,  we  only  get  a  profit  on  the  mere  work 
I*  rotiulics  to  collect  these  raw  materials  for  the  use  of  laborers  in 
Other  countries,  while  wo  thus  exhaust  virgin  soil  and  nature's  re- 
sources and  rapidly  diminish  our  own  capital  in  building  up  this  sort 
Ofconimorco.  This  is  bad  ennngh,  as  starving  lields  and  weed-cov- 
erod  jjrairios  aii'oady  sliow.  lUil  wiiou  we  pay  our  neighbors  below 
a  hoiiit.s  of  a  hall' to  tlirco-(iuartors  of  a  million  dollars  annually  for  tho 
priviloiie  of  letting  our  goods  pass  tlironfih  their  port  uiidi'r  their  ('nli- 
fornid  li.-<niil,  thus  discrediting  our  own  prodiKJtions  in  the  world's 
markets,  and  dishonoring  our  roiiion  and  our  climate  in  the  view  of 
the  intelliuont — siniHi  wo  can  send  otf  the  wlioic  from  our  own  ports 
cheaper  and  in  bcitKjr  order — we  show  a  degree  of  folly  which  will 
be  sure  soon  to  bring  us  :;hameand  groivler  loss;  f(.)r  ev<;ry  aijt  of  folly  in 
business  as  well  as  in  morals,  surely  brings  its  reward  in  the  same 
coin. 

Till',  lNTi:itHsTs  or  axa.  Ci.assks    o;-   tiik    CoMMrxiTY  auk  Im;x- 

TKLVL    AXl)    >Or    DiVKltSE. 

Some  divs'v.'i  of  seniimont  has  existed  and  has  boon  fostered,  as  if 
the  (;ity  is  a  foe  to  the  country,  and  that  the  country  must  watch 
and  tlofeiid  ilsolf  against  uuM'cantile  frauds  and  overgrown  monopo- 
lies. Thos(>  pii-Judicos  contusi  trade  by  di\(Hting  it  from  its  natural 
ohauncls.  Tlioy  also  taint  and  pervert  legislation.  We  try  various 
methods  of  relief.  Atone  tiiiK*  wo  work  hard  for  railroads  as  the 
sure  iiioans  of  ironeral  iirosperit}'.  Next  wo  try  schemes  of  Immigra- 
tion, liut  tlu!  former  do  not  conu!  on  call,  and  the  latter  lind  little 
certainty  of  prolitaljje  busuifss  for  tlieir  welcome,  and  so  many  turn 
back  in  disappointment  and  disgust. 

<)ui{  I'i'.KSKNT  Nkkd. 

Both  the  home  liorn  and  t!h;  stranger  want  tho  solution  of  the  com- 
mercial priililom  of  the  Columbia  valley  and  its  trii)utaries.  Is  it  or 
is  it  not  an  inviting  homo  ?  Can  wo  and  our  children  and  many 
thousands  and  hu'Hlreds  of  thousands  nn)re  of  intelligent  and  indus- 
trious people  abide  I'ere,  or  come  and  make  good  homes  hero?  Is 
all  we  make  and  all  we  bring  destined  annually  to  be  drained  off  to 
pay  for  imports,  or  shall  a  fair  part  of  our  income  circulate  like 
healthy  blooil  through  our  own  l)ody  politic?  In  other  words,  have 
we  a  sure  future  in  our  vast  Columbia  basin,  enclosing,  as  it  does, 
tho  most  of  Oregon,  \Vashini4ton  and  Idaho,  and  a  part  ef  Mon- 
tana— an  area,  accoi'dinu  to  tho  census,  drained  by  tlie  Columbia 
river  ot  2.'>().()i)o  to  .">(io,ilO()  square  miles,  or  four  times  tho  area  of  all 
Ibe  New  iMigland  States,  whoso  products  will  drift  as  naturally'  to 
tbe  western  seaboard  as  its  waters  (low  to  the  Pacific  !  Wo  know 
that  the  natural  resources  are  as  valuable  aiul  as  various  as  its  area 
is  \asi  and  adapt(Ml  to  multiplied  industries  and  nuntes  of  living. 

We  know  that  its  climate  is  health-giving  and  harvest-giving,  hav- 
ing been  attested  bj'  manyof  us  for  thirty  years  past  without  failure. 

We  learn   that   immigrants,  merchants,    mechanics  and    farmer.s 


24 

from  Great  Britain  i-iul  France,  both  the  almost  exact  analogue  ol 
our  northwestern  coast  in  climate  and  productions,  discover  tlic 
home-like  similarity  and  take  enlarged  views  of  its  present  and  pros- 
pective developniont  of  resources  and  settlements. 

British  ca|iUal  conies  liere  IVeoly  and  conlidently.  British  fleets 
rapidly  absorb  our  trommerce,  and  we  are  glad  to  see  them  come. 

British  insurance  companies  already  control  the  maritime  part  ol 
this  business,  and  mucli  of  that  pertaining  to  lire  risks. 

Already  they  have  reduced  the  price  of  marine  insurance  to  our 
ports  to  the  same  rate  astotlie  port  ot  San  Francisco,  except  the  frac 
tion  of  one-fourtli  of  one  per  cent,  extra  charge  on  wlicat  shipment. 
Cargoes  of  iiour  and  salmon  are  are  now  insured  at  the  same  rates 
in  British  otlices. 

British  wool-growers  are  moving  from  Australia  and  New  /ealaml 
to  Eastern  Oregon  and  Washington  as  tlie  best  countrj^  for  tlu> 
business. 

British  woolen,  llax,  iron  and  leather  manul'acturers  are  sure  to  fol- 
low  and  produce  the  goods  here  instead  of  wasting  a  rich  margin  ui 
profit  in  the  double  transportation  of  the  raw  material  home  and 
he  gooils  back. 

Facts  and  reasoning  evince  the  certainty  that  the  homes  of  indus- 
try, tlirifl  and  intelligence  must  and  will  be  established  all  through 
the  basin  of  the  Columbia  and  its  tributary  valleys. 

Interchanvik  of  Pkooicts. 

The  union  of  all  citizens  in  city  and  country  to  increase  the  mean- 
of  cheap  and  easy  intercommunication  in  order  to  set  all  the  wheels 
of  business  in  motion,  and  to  give  all  hands  work  in  village  shop  and 
on  country  farm,  on  land,  on  river  and  on  bay,  will  do  much  to  in. 
spire  heart  and  hopes. 

Whatever  State  or  National  legislation  is  needed  to  imi)rovo  riv- 
ers, build  railroads  or  canals,  or  redeem  waste  lands, and  incirease  the 
number  and  value  of  the  iiomes  of  tlie  people,  by  putting  a  valiu 
upon  iiroducts  that  will  induce  production,  ought,  of  course,  to  In. 
secured  by  united  votes  and  elForts,  instead  of  being  lost  by  partisan 
strife  or  sellish  chicanery. 

JNIuch  has  been  done  already  by  men  intrusted  witli  legislative 
power.  More  can  be  done  on  land  and  river.  If  the  cost  of  invilinL' 
commerce  to  our  river  be  bN'  a  merely  nominal  jjrice  of  pilotage  ami 
towage,  at  the  cost  of  tiie  .Stale,  it  might  bo  a  saving  of  tlirce-fourtli- 
of  wliat  Me  now  waste  on  double  Ireights  and  commissions. 

If  a  few  hundred  thousaiuls  (jf  dollars  would  clear  out  the  shoal- 
from  the  Columbia,  Cowlitz,  ChehaliSj  Willamette,  dake,  Clear 
water,  Yakima,  Sjiokane,  Clark's  Foik,  and  build  needed  i)ortagi- 
or  canals,  the  prolit  of  one  or  two  harvests  would  pay  tlie  costs,  Ix- 
sides  inviting  tliou.sandsof  settlers  into  tiieso  vast  regions,  and  brinu' 
ing  those  there  now  out  of  their  exile  into  fellowship  with  all  oIIk 
sections. 

In  the  wide  regions  that  railroads  must  do  the  business  of  tran^ 
portation,  united  ei/ort  without  delay  could  soon  give  us  these  facili 
ties  on  a  scale  equal  to  local  wants  and  transcontinental  needs,  fret 
ing  us  from  tribute  to  distant  and  hostile  cori  orations. 

Prospkcts  or  tiik  Inciu:ase  of  ouu  Commkrck. 

The  average  annual  gain  in  the  report  of  breadstull's  from  tii 
Columbia  to  all  ports,  by  seasons,  from    18(i(S    to  1877,  is  'SS}4  yx 


25 


saot  aiifilogiie  ol 
lis,  discover  tho 
present  and  pro,'^- 


r.     Britisli   fleets 
e  them  come, 
inariliiiiti  part  ol 
ks. 

iiisuraneo  to  our 
,  except  the  tVac- 
whcat  shipineiU. 
,t  tlie  same  ratus 

iid  New  /ealaml 
country''    for  thi> 

rs  are  :sure  to  I'ol. 

a  ]Mch  margin  oi 

iterial  home  and 

liomes  of  indus- 
shed  all  througii 


urease  tho  mean- 

;et  all  tho  \vheel> 
village  shop  and 

11  do  much  to  in- 
to improve  riv- 

and  increase  tiu- 
putting  a  valiu 

of  course,  to  In 
lost  by  partisan 

with    legislative 

0  cost  of  invitiiii; 

of  pilotage  and 

of  three-fourth- 

issious. 

r  out  tho  sliocil- 
dake,  (.Ileal' 
needed  porta.m- 
ti}'  tho  costs,  bi.'- 
!,ions,  and  brinu' 
)  with  all   otlu: 

isiuess  of  trans 
e  us  these  facili- 
Ual   needs,  free 


MKUCE. 

stulls    from  lii 
877,  is  M]4  f' 


P9iit.,  counting  olglii  seasons  of  shipment  from  tho  basis. of  amount 
0Kported  in   ISHS-dd. 

It  is  reasonaiile  to  estimate  the  addition  to  Uie  i)opulation  of  the 
Oohunbia  ba^in  this  year  at  1^5, U(Mi,  a  nund)er  e(]nal  to  oiu-sixtli  of 
l^e  i)resent  inliabitants.  It  is  fair  to  count  the  gain  to  commerce 
«ne-sixth.  At  this  rate  the  state  Board  ot  Pilot  (-omnussionors 
Ipay  bo  able  to  report  to  the  next  Legislature  in  187S  the  arrival 
Of  ofiO  vessels,  with  a  tonnage  of  410,000  tons,  and  an  export  of 
860,000  tons,  valued  at  ,S1 4,(100,000,  as  the  business  of  their  two 
Oflicial  years.  The  gain  this  year  indicates  more  instead  of  less 
than  those  figures. 

The  gain  in  the  upper  Columbia  business — as  per  O.  8,  N.  Co., 
apparent  exhibit  of  growth,  is  a  large  per  cent,  in  two  years. 
Their  plans  witli  others  promise  more  rapid  and  wider  means  of 
river  commence.  We  venture  no  estimate  of  tho  amount,  but  the 
drift  of  200,000  or  more  l)nshels  of  wheat  to  the  western  ocean  per 
year,  fmm  the  upper  Columljia,  will  not  surprise  tiioso  wlio  watch 
tho  progress  of  tiie  plow  and  reaper  there. 

It  is  hardly  needi'iil  to  say,  yet  it  is  wrong  to  forgot,  that  this 
problem  of  our  coMiiiieriie  has  factors,  wliich  enter  into  every 
home  of  tiie  pei)[)le;  into  every  factory  and  store;  into  every  .social 
question;  into  every  school  and  ivory  church  of  our  wide-reach- 
ing settlements.  Tl  torn  lies  us  ilaily,  alone  or  in  the  crowd,  in  the 
routine  of  business  and  on  journeys.  It  inspires  hope  and  shapes 
our  plans.  Tt  is  worthy  of  our  thought,  while  its  successes  com- 
mands our  gratitude. 

Confidence  in  this  railroad  revives.  It  is  known  that  the  company 
turned  its  assets  over  to  the  bondholders  at  the  least  cost  and  delay, 
giving  them  the  full  benefit  of  their  mortgage.  Tho  act  shows  a  de- 
sire  and  purpose  to  comidele  the  road.  It  stands  now  in  the  hands 
of  the  new  or  proferreil  stockholders— or  former  bondholders — free 
from  debt,  with  HoO  miles  of  road  linished  and  furnisheil  wiih  roll, 
tng  stock,  machine  shops,  depots,  and  other  means  of  work  and  i)ro- 
gress.  The  Pairitic?  division  has  paid  all  its  running  expenses,  tiie 
salaries  of  its  otViceis,  and  $}0,000  of  old  debts,  without  calling  for 
help  from   the  East. 

Tho  Eastern  division  has  paid  the  running  expenses  and  §30,000 
or  more  overplus.  The  (!omi)any  have  also  nearly  the  entire  land 
fttbsidy  for  the  whole  distance  t!oinploted.  With  such  assets  on 
Wliicli  to  etfct  new  loans,  then>  is  hope  to  raise  the  funds  and  extend 
the  road. 

Besides  these  elements  there  are  now  factors  in  the  problem.  When 
the  Ciiioii  antl  Central  Pacific  was  jiroposed,  it  was  counted  a  wild 
scheme  to  build  that  long  road  over  a  liackless  desert.  The  prob 
loni  of  fuel  was  not  solved.  It  was  not  deemed  solvable  The  supply 
of  water  was  supposed  to  depend  upon  artesian  wells.  The  eminent 
Slate  G(M)logist  of  C'alifornia  at  that  time,  said:  "I  know  tiio  limited 
supply  of  wood  and  timber  on  the  Sierra  Novadas,  and  the  road  must 
oarry  this  more  than  a  thousand  miles  for  daily  use.  It  is  liable  to 
W6ar  out  the  tra(^k  and  the  stock  supplying  its  daily  trains  with 
power  to  run."  His  tiiought  or  fear  was  that  the  transcoMtiiiental 
road  could  not  bo  a  success.  Many  other  intelligent  and  thoughtful 
men  shared  his  fears.  A  graver  factor  in  the  iiroblein  was,  how  to  get 
wa.v  business,  which  is  known  to  be  the  most  important  element  in 
the  succes.s  of  every  railroad.  As  the  road  progresed  every  one  of 
these  ditFiculties  were  removed.      Tne  Rocky  Mountain  coal  fields 


"^■ 


iiiiil 


26 

along  and  under  the  very  track  of  the  road  furnished  the  best  of  fuel 
for  tlio  present,  and  for  the  indelinito  demands  of  the  future.  Streams 
and  wells  .sui)pl}'-  water  abundantly.  Wyoming,  Utaii  and  Nevada 
have  unfolded  'marvelous  mines  of  the  precious  metals,  and  un- 
told  riches  of  agricultural  and  pastoral  lands.  The  united  road 
pays  larger  dividends,  probably,  than  any  other  lines  of  equal 
length  in  the  world.  Similar  lactors  are  already  solving  some  ele. 
ments  of  the  problem  oi  the  North  Pacific  Railroad.  Hardly  had 
the  Pacific  division  connected  the  waters  of  the  Columbia  witii 
those  of  Pugot  Sound,  when  the  remarkable  coal  fields  of  the  Puyal- 
1  lip,  12')  miles  from  Tacoma,  wore  discovered.  The  coal  has  been 
tested  by  A.  Campbell,  Eaq.,  of  Seattle,  and  by  several  blacksmiths 
of  Portland,  and  by  others  in  Washington  Territory.  Oregon  and 
California,  and  pronounced  by  them  all  equal  to  the  Cumberland 
and  Blossburg  coals  for  all  the  uses  of  their  shops.  One  of  them 
pronounces  it  the  hcst  for  welding  steel  of  any  he  has  ever  tried  in 
thirty  years'  experience. 

President  G.  F.  Whitv.'orth,  of  the  Washington  Territory  Univor. 
sity,  Jias  examined  the  fields,  and  found  the  veins  very  numerous- 
scores  of  them — from  one  foot  to  three  live,  and  even  seventeen  foot 
in  thickness.  They  are  cut  tiu-ough  by  several  mountain  streams, 
whicli  permit  a  series  of  .s'('.'/-(/>v((vt/»^  shafts  to  be  run  at  different 
levels  into  every  vein,  all  above  the  shutes,  while  these  are  above 
the  natural  railro;id  cut  or  bod  which  the  streams  have  made.  The 
Puyallup  valley — a  garden  in  itself — is  level  for  twentv  miles,  leav- 
ing only  from  five  to  eight  miles  of  sleeper  gradients  into  the  niomi. 
tains.  Several  engineers  of  the  North  Pacific  corps  have  declared 
the  route  easv  to  make,  and  capable  of  an  immense  trafic.  The  out- 
let for  coal  into  shutes  on  tlie  blutf  at  Taeoma,  permits  its  ship- 
ment without  rehandling.  Prof.  NVhitworth  finds  it  a  choice  cookinj; 
coal,  with  a  Irage  per  cent,  of  fixed  carbon,  hard,  compact,  and  not 
easily  broken  by  handling,  or  disintegrated  l)y  the  weather.  Four 
hundred  and  ninety  pounds  of  this  coal,  as  tested  by  the  Portland 
Gas  Works,  produced  2,2r)0  feet  of  superior  gas,  and  400  pounds  of 
coke.  The  best  tost  of  Nanaimo  coal  gave  2,000  feet  of  gas  from  500 
pounds  of  coal. 

Besides  the  fact  that  Tacoma  bay  is  n,  safe  and  extensive  harbor, 
inviting  the  largest  vessels  and  fleets  from  all  the  ports  of  the  Paci- 
fic and  of  the  world,  so  that  every  product  of  the  region  can  at  onco 
be  put  into  the  currents  of  commerce,  these  vast  beds  of  choicest 
coal,  which  are  in  so  great  demand  for  steam  and  mechanical  purpo- 
ses, will  at  once  assure  business  at  this  northwestern  terminus  of  the 
road.  Good  and  abundant  coal  is  a  factor  which  will  ensure  any  rail- 
road that  terminates  on  tide  water.  These  coal  fields  invite  the  com- 
pletion of  the  Northern  Pacific  Railroad,  at  the  earliest  possible  mo- 
ment. It  will  save  the  immense  transportation  of  Sydney  and  other 
foreign  coals  to  our  coast  and  growing  interior.  It  will  save  the  great 
cost  of  transporting  the  Pennsylvania  and  Maryland  coals  to  this 
coast.  It  will  develop  the  iron  industry,  in  foundries  and  furnaces, 
preventing  the  costly  importation  and  transportation  of  this  product. 
It  will  employ  artisans  and  laborers,  and  build  up  the  homes  of  an 
industrious  population,  and  by  reaction  stimulate  the  fisheries,  the 
shipbuilding,  the  agricultural  and  pastoral  pursuits. 

Another  factor  in  the  problem  of  the  Northern  Pacific  Railroad  is 
the  food  supply  of  this  northern  region  through  which  its  survey  Is 
made.     It  is  a  known  fact  that  the    most   productive  and  enduring 


"% 


I  the  best  of  fuel 
future.  Stroauis 
tah  iind  Novuda 
inotais,  and  uii- 
The  united  road 
lines  of  equal 
olving  some  ele- 
d.  Hardly  had 
Columbia  witli 
Ids  of  the  Puyal- 
>  coal  has  beoii 
eral  blacksmiths 
ory.  Oregon  and 
-ho  Cumberland 
One  of  them 
las  ever  tried  in 

erritory  Univor. 
ery  numerous— 
n  seventeen  feot 
>untain  streams, 
run  at  difl'orent 
these  arc  above 
ivp  made.  Tiio 
sntv  miles,  Icav- 
s  into  tiie  nioiin- 
)s  have  declared 
ratio.  The  out - 
rmits  its  ship- 
i  choice  cookinji 
mpact,  and  not 
weather.  Four 
y  I  he  Portland 
I  400  pounds  of 
ofii^as  from  50C 

tensive  harbor, 
rts  of  the  Paci- 
?ion  can  at  once 
eds  of  choicest 
lihanical  purpo- 
terminus  of  tlie 
snsure  any  rail- 
invite  the  coni- 
st  possible  mo- 
dney  and  other 
1  save  the  great 
coals  to  this 
s  and  furnaces, 
of  this  product, 
e  homes  of  an 
e  tisheries,  the 

fie  Railroad  is 
ih  its  survey  Is 
)  and  enduring 


27 

wheat  lands  of  our  continent  lie  betweeen  the  Cascades  and  the  Rocky 
Mountains.  Tlioy  liave  the  largest  proportions  of  the  potash  and 
pliosi)liatcs  wiiich  nourish  the  cereals.  Tt  has  been  stated  by  a  vvoll- 
known  geologst,  that  during-  the  six  distinctly  noted  volcanic  over- 
flows thci>sli(3s,  whicii  Nvoro  carried  largely  i)y  tlie  prevailing  winds 
eastward  nito  tlie  bays  and  lakes  which  formerly  occupied  tlie  great 
Interior  basin,  mingled  with  other  sediment  to  form  the  deep  depos- 
its wiiich  now  constitute  the  soils  of  those  valleys  and  high  prairie 
lands.  It  is  easy  to  infer  that  the  excess  of  alkali  in  s|)ots  results 
from  tlie  drainage  of  this  substance  from  the  hills.  Rut  the  wheat 
harvests  of  Walla  Walla,  Whitman,  rmatilla  and  Baker  counties 
prove  the  wonderl'id  fertility  of  this  region.  Every  year  tiie  crops 
seem  to  increase  in  value  and  amount.  The  hills  and  dry  sage-brush 
plains  Iiave  rewarded  the  iiillivator.  It  is  known  that  every  acre 
touched  by  water  becomes  luxuriant  witli  cereals  and  fruits.  The 
•  drippings  and  overllows  of  that  long  miners'  ditcli  constructed  by 
the  Chi(;ago  Company  through  IJaker  county,  lias  producred  many 
oasis  in  the  hitherto  dry  jilains.  It  is  known  that  an  ocean  of  aerial 
moisture  lloats  over  these  regions  from  the  vast  western  ocean.  It 
heeds  only  a  cooler  to  deposit  the  dews.  F-very  field  or  blade  of 
grass  or  grain  a(rt.s  as  a  cooler. 

The  fields  of  winter  grain,  started  l>y  early  rains  or  melting  snow.s, 
provide  the  vegetation,  which  in  summer  deposits  enough  of  this 
aerial  moisture  to  perlect  their  growth  until  the  harvest. 

The  dcei)  plowing  loosens  the  soil  so  as  to  absorb  the  air  loaded 
with  moisture,  whicli  grows  cool  enough  to  leave  its?  moisture  al)out 
the  roots  of  the  plant.  Thus  tlie  lands  that  have  for  ages  abounded 
in  the  bunch  grass,  which  is  now  wasting  away  belorethe  increase  of 
flocdvs  and  herds,  can  ha  restored  by  the  i)low,  and  the  choice  cere- 
als, wheat,  oats,  barley  and  corn,  with  orchards  about  every  farm 
house. 

Thirty  live,  forty,  and  even  sixty-five  bushels  per  acre  of  wlieat 
are  said  to  be  frequently  harvested  in  the  counties  named.  Their 
need  is  not  food  but  transportatii  u  to  market.  Their  cattle  and 
sheep,  and  wheat  and  corn  abound  far  l)eyond  all  the  wants  of  their 
present  i)opuIation.  It  is  claimed  that  two  or  three  of  those  coun- 
ties can  produce  as  large  a  suriilus  for  foreign  markets  as  the  whole 
Willamette  valley.  This  factor  enters  into  the  problem  of  the  N.  P. 
R.  R,  It  opens  a  vast  business  of  transportation  from  the  interior 
toihe  ocean,  and  from  our  forests  and  coal  tields  a  large  return  to 
supply  the  tre(>less  interior.  I'3ver.y  year  also  gives  steadiness  and 
surety  t(f  the  mining  of  gold  and  silver  and  other  inetal-s  in  the  Blue 
Mountains,  as  well  as  to  those  of  Montana.  Unknown  resources  are 
as  likely  to  appear  along  tlu?  N.  P.  R.  R.  line  in  its  progress,  as  along 
tlu!  Union  Pacitic.  The  delay  of  conslriieiion  has  caused  the  intelli- 
gent to  study  tlie  piol)lein  more  inteiith',  and  to  feel  sure  that  liome 
interests  demand  it  more  >lian  over.  Worthless  regions  will  have 
known  values  wlien  it  comes,  and  the  finest  visions  promise  to  be 
realized  bj'  it. 

FvjAj  Tioxt  of  tfik  IIousr    Rir.L  As  Reported  iiy  the    Comjiit- 
TKK  ON  Pacific   Railhoads. 

In  the  house  of  representatives,  February  5,  187S;  read  twice,  recom- 
mitted ami  ordoreil  to  be  printed. 

n.  R.  ;{0(5()  Reiiort  No.  I'io  A  bill  to  extend  the  time  to  construct 
and  coinploto  the  Northern  Pacific  railroad, 


28 


Mr.  William  W.  Kice,  from  tho  Committeo  on  Pacillo  Railroads, 
reported  the  following  IjIU  : 

lie  it  ciKtctcd  hi/  t/ic  firaatr  and  House  nf  Ileprcnentaliven  of  fin 
the  Ihiifcil  S/iitc.s  of  Aiiirrica  in  (hni/r<'M  anseiabh'd,  That  the  grants, 
rights,  privileges,  corporalo  powers,  and  IVaiK-hises,  iiieludiiig  the 
Iranchise  to  bo  a  corporation  eonlerrcd  upon  the  Northern  raeilic  II. H, 
<Jompany  by  its  (liiarlor,  and  tho  various  joint  resol'Uion.s  of  congrosv 
anieiidatory  thoreofantl  siipi)k'niontary  thereto,  be,  and  tho  satno  arc 
hereby  eoiilirnied,  {^ranted,  and  continued  to  tho  said  Northern  Pa- 
eiiic  llailroad  (oinpany  as  now  reorganizeil;  and  ten  3'oars'  time  from 
the  passajjfo  of  this  act  is  hereby  granted  to  said  company  for  tlio  con- 
struction and  completion  ol  its  main  line,  snbject  to  all  tho  torni> 
and  conditions  prescribed  bj'  said  charter  and  joint  resohitions,  ex- 
cept as  chanijed  by  this  act;  proridcd,  lioici'vcr,  and  said  extension  ol 
time  is  granted  upon  the  following  express  conditions,  namely: 

First— Tho  said  company  shall,  within  one  year  after  the  passaaf 
of  this  act,  commence  the  work  of  constructing  its  main  line  at  01 
near  Umatilla,  in  the  state  of  Oregon,  or  some  sniial.)lo  point  between 
there  and  the  mouth  of  Snake  river,  as  the  said  company  shall  deter- 
mine, and  shall  complete  not  less  than  twenty-tive  miles  of  its  road 
eastwardly  per  year  tiiereafter,  and  shall  complete,  in  addition  to  the 
road  already  completed,  at  least  one  hundred  miles  of  its  main  line 
witiiin  two  years  after  the  passage  of  this  act,  and  at  least  ono  hun- 
dred miles  of  said  main  line  each  year  thereafter,  including  in  each 
said  ono  hundred  miles  the  twenty-livo  to  bo  completed  per  year 
eastwardly  as  aforesaid. 

Second — The  main  line  of  said  railroad  between  Portland  and  a 
point  as  far  east  as  Umatilla,  in  tho  state  of  Oregon,  shall  bo  located 
and  constructed  on  the  south  side  of  the  Columbia  river. 

Third — Actual  settlers  on  unsurveyed  agricultural  lands  within 
tho  limits  of  tho  grant  to  said  company,  if  said  lands,  when  tho  gov- 
ortmient  surveys  shall  be  extended  over  them,  shall  bo  found  to  be 
embraced  in  said  grant;  and  actual  settlers  on  any  agricultural  lands 
within  the  limits  of  said  grant,  who  shall  have  settled  thereon  at  a 
tlistance  of  ono  hundred  miles  or  more  beyond  the  completed  portion 
of  said  road  at  either  end;  and  actual  settlers  on  any  agricultural 
lands  within  tho  limits  of  said  grant  remaining  unsold  at  the  expira- 
tion of  eight  years  from  tho  completion  and  acceptance  of  the  section 
of  the  road  op[)osito  thereto,  if  said  last  mentioned  lands  shall  W 
then  surveyed  by  tho  government,  and  if  not,  then  within  eight  years 
after  the  government  surveys  shall  be  extended  over  the  sumo,  shall 
be  entitled  each  to  purchase  from  said  company  one  quarter  section, 
or  a  legal  subdivision  thereof,  on  which  they  shall  have  settled,  al 
the  prices  of  two  dollars  and  fifty  cents  per  acre,  oxceiHing  coal  ami 
iron  lands  within  the  right  of  way  for  said  railroad  ;  Pfovidcd,  /tuir- 
I'rcr,  That  this  section  shall  not  apply  to  tho  funds  already  earned 
by  said  com[)any. 

Sec.  U.  That  all  the  lands  heretofore  withdrawn  for  tho  branch 
line  of  said  road,  be,  and  the  same  are  hereby,  restored  to  tho  public 
domain,  to  be  disposed  of  as  otlier  public  lauds,  except  for  the  dis- 
tance of  twenty  miles  north  of  the  portion  of  said  branch  now  con- 
structed from  Tacoma  to  Wilkeson,  in  Washington  Territory.  And 
the  said  company  shall  receive  patents  for  a  (juantity  of  land  equal 
to  twenty  sections  per  mile  on  each  side  of  said  constructed  jiortion 
of  said  branch,  such  land  to  be  selected  from  tho  oild-numberod  sec- 
tions on  each  side  ot  said  constructed  branch,  bui  on  tho  north  side, 


not 
Rel 
(lai( 
gra 


^Li 


oitic  Railroads, 

t'lilntivrs   of  tlt< 

'hilt  llie  ^niiUs, 

iiieliuling  the 

BIT)  PiKMlii;  11.15, 

OILS  of  congresv 
id  tho  sail  10  arc 
I  Northoni  Pa- 
oars'  time  from 
,iiy  for  tlio  coii- 
i  all  tho  tGrin> 
resolntioiis,  ox- 
id  exlonsion  ol 
I,  namely: 
'Ksr  tho  passage 
lain  lino  at  ur 
>  point  botweeii 
my  sliail  deter- 
lilos  of  its  road 
addition  to  tiii' 
)f  its  main  liiic 
loasi  ono  hnn- 
■luding  in  oarii 
)loted  per  year 

Portland  and  a 
■shall  bo  located 
[or. 

land«  within 

wiion  the  gov- 

bo  found  to  bo 

ioultural  lands 

I  thereon  at  a 

iplotod  portion 

y   agricultural 

at  the  oxpira- 

of  tho  section 

lands  shall    bi' 

bin  eight  years 

ho  sume,  shall 

uartor  section, 

lave  settled,  at 

)ting  coal  and 

Proi'uled,  /ton- 

1  ready  earned 

or  tho  branch 
I  to  tho  public 
)t  for  the  dis- 
nch  now  con- 
ritory.  And 
of  land  equal 
'ucted  jiortioM 
umbered  sec- 
he  north  side, 


29 

not  farther  than  twenty  miles  therefrom;  but  the  said  company  may 
ieloct  and  rcci'ive  patents  for  hviids  to  make  up  any  deficioncj'  In 
iaid  (piantily  from  any  of  tho  public  lands  within  the  limits  of  tho 
grant  for  tlm  muin  line. 

Sec.  ;•.  That  where  pro-em|)tion  or  homestead  claims  were  initia- 
ted, or  private  entries  or  locations  were  allowed,  upon  lands  em- 
braced in  the  grant  to  said  comjiany,  ]>rior  to  the  receipt  of  tho  or- 
ders of  withdrawal  at  the  respective  district  land  oflices,  tho  lands 
embraced  in  >iii"di  entry  or  location  shall  b(«  imtented  to  tlie  partie.s 
entitled  to  the  same,  as  if  said  grant  had  not  been  made,  and,  in  case 
of  abandonment  by  them,  shall  be  open  to  settlement  by  i)ro-emp- 
tion  or  homestead  only  ;  but  the  said  company  shall  bo  entitled  to 
Iiulemnity  therefor,  as  now  provided  by  law. 

Se(!.  I.  That  entries  remaining;  unadjusted  and  suspended  in  tho 
general  land  oflice,  on  account  of  an  increase  of  price  of  the  even  sec- 
ti«>ns  within  the  limits  of  said  grant,  where  the  same  wore  made  or 
based  upon  settlement  prior  to  the  receipt  of  tho  orders  of  withdraw- 
al of  said  lands  at  the  district  latul  olbces,  shall  bo  relieved  from 
8U(!li  suspc^nsion  and  carried  into  patent;  Imt  nothing  in  this  act  shall 
bo  construed  to  allect  existing  adjustments,  or  to  authorize  tho  re- 
funding of  any  moneys  received  for  such  lands  under  existing  laws. 

Sec.  .").  That  tho  said  company  be,  and  it  is  herobj',  authori/ed  to 
issue  its  bonds  from  time  lo  time,  to  aiil  in  the  construction  and 
equipment  of  its  road,  and  to  secure  the  same  by  mortgages  on  tho 
whole  or  any  part  or  parts  of  its  railroad  and  proj)erty  and  rights  of 
property  of  all  kinds  and  descriptions,  witli  the  rights,  i)rivi]eges.and 
franchises  thereto  apptu'taining,  including  the  franchise  to  bo  a  cor- 
poration ;  and  as  ])r()ol  and  notice  of  their  legal  execution  and  effect- 
ual delivery,  sucli  mortgages  shall  be  filed  and  recorded  in  the  de- 
partment of  the  interior. 

Sec.  ().  That  in  case  any  of  the  lands  heretofore  granted  by  con- 
gress to  aid  in  the  construction  of  said  railroad  shall  l)econie  forfeited 
to  the  United  Slates,  and  l»e  restored  to  the  publi<;  domain,  by  reason 
of  the  failure  of  said  company  to  perform  the  conditions  herein  set 
forth,  or  any  of  them,  the  actual  settlers  on  such  of  said  granted 
lands  as  shall  not  then  have  been  earned  by  said  company,  who 
■hall  have  settled  thereon  under  the  provisions  of  this  act,  or  by  li- 
cense from  said  company,  shall  each  have  the  right  to  obtain  title  to 
Such  lands,  not  exceeding  one  quarter  section,  under  the  homestead 
or  pre-emption  laws,  as  if  said  grant  had  not  been  made. 

Sec.  7.  Thill  wlien  said  company  shall  sell,  or  contract  to  sell,  or 
Sball  convey,  except  by  way  of  mortgage  or  deed  of  trust  to  aid  in 
the  construction  of  its  railroad,  any  of  said  granted  lands,  the  lands 
80  sold,  contracted  or  conveyed  shall  be  subject  to  taxation,  accord- 
ing to  tlu*  laws  of  tho  state  or  territory  within  which  the  same  may 
be  situated. 

Sec.  8.  That  this  act  shall  not  bo  construed  to  affect  existing  pri- 
vate riglils,  except  as  hereinbefore  expressly  provided;  and  congress 
Bttay  at  jTiy  time,  having  duo  regard  for  the  riglits  of  said  Northern 
l^cific  Kailroad  Company,  add  to,  alter,  amend,  or  repeal  this  act,  or 
iblie  charter  or  resolutions  hereinbefore  referred  to,  and  miiy  provide 
by  law  against  unjust  discriminations  and  excessive  charges  wher- 
ever the  same  shall  bo  made  by  said  company. 

USec.  9.  That  tho  said  Northern  I'acitic  Railroad  Company  sliall 
file  with  the  secretiiry  of  the  interior,  within  six  months  from  tho 
date  hereof,  its  i*Hsent  to,  and  acceptance  of,  the  provisions  of  this  act, 


T 


■  ■'•v.. 


liil; 


I 


30 

or  be  forever  debarred  Troni  t.iking  or  receiving  any  benefit  from  or 
under  the  same. 

Rkpokt  Accompanying  the  Bill. 

The  Norllioni  Pacific  Railroad  Company  was  incorporated  by  ae 
of  congress;  approved  July  '2,  1S(54. 

By  section  !S  of  that  act  it  was  recjuired  to  complete  its  road  by  .Tii 
ly  4,  ISTfJ. 

Joint  resolution  of  tlio  senate  and  house  of  representatives,  approv- 
ed Maj'  7,  1S7G,  extended  the  time  for  the  completion  of  the  road  twi 
years. 

Joint  resolution,  approved  July  1,  18(58.  and  entitled  "joint  resolu 
tlon  extending  the  time  for  the  completion  of  the  Nortliern  Pacili 
railroad,"  amended  section  (S  of  the  original  act  by  changing  the  tini 
for  the  completion  of  the  road  to  July  4,  IST". 

The  company  claims  that  joint  resolution  of  May  7,  1S06,  applies  t^ 
section  s  of  the  act  of  July  '2.  ISiU,  as  amended  by  joint  resolution  o; 
July  1,  isijx  ;  and,  consequently,  tliat  its  time  for  completing  tlit 
road  does  not  expire  until  July  4,  1S7!>. 

Oh  the  otiier  hand,  it  is  claimed  that  joint  resolution  of  July  1,  IStlS 
although  by  its  title  '-.itvudiug  the  time  for  completing  the  road,  ii; 
ellei-t  lUinlnishes  tliat  time,  and  that  it  really  expired  at  the  date  fixeii 
by  that  resolution,  to-wit,  July  4,  IS77. 

The  department  of  the  interior  is  reported  to  have  adopted  tlif 
more  liljeral  construction,  and  to  have  assumed  thai  the  company 
has  the  longer  time  for  tlie  completion  of  its  road. 

Equily  and  generous  dealing  seem  to  justify  this  conclusion,  anii 
in  view  of  tlie  impossibility  of  the  completion  of  the  road  even  with 
in  the  lo)tyer  time,  we  do  not  deem  it  necessary  to  express  an  opinion 
as  to  the  technical  elVect  of  the  foregoing  resolutions.  At  all  events, 
further  time  must  be  granted,  or  this  great  enterprise,  as  at  preseii: 
organized,  must  be  abandoned. 

Up  to  187;),  the  company  was  not  in  default.  It  had  constructeii 
its  main  line  to  Bismarck,  in  the  territory  of  Dakota,  a  distance  <■: 
450  miles,  and  on  the  Pacific  coast  from  Kalama,  on  the  Columbia 
river,  northerl\-  to  Tacoma,  on  Puget  Sound,  a  distance  of  10")  milo'< 
The  financial  disasters  of  1873  suspended  its  operations,  frustrated  il- 
rosourees,  and  forced  it  into  bankruptcy. 

By  joint  resolution  apjiroved  May  31,  1S70,  congress  had  author!/ 
od  the  company  to  issue  its  Ijonds,  and  to  secure  tliem  by  a  inortga^' 
of  its  property.  Under  this  authoritj'  the  company  had  issued  boiul- 
to  the  anjoiMit  of  $29,119,400,  and  had  secured  the  same  by  a  fir> 
mortgage  on  all  its  propertj-,  including  its  franchises. 

In  1^7;")  this  mortgage,  the  company  being  in  dei'ault,  was  foro- 
closed,  and  all  the  proper*^'  of  the  company  passed  into  the  hands  n: 
a  committee  appointed  by  the  bondholders,  and  for  their  benefit. 

In  tiie  summer  of  1.S75,  the  bondholders,  all  concurrmg,  either 
actively  or  tacitly,  adopted  a  plan  for  reorganizing  the  company : 
preferred  stock  was  issued  in  exchange  for  the  bonds,  and  in  8ei'- 
tenibor  of  that  year  a  board  of  directors  was  chosen,  which  was  pu 
in  possession  of  the  property  of  the  old  company  covered  by  tin 
mortgage. 

The  stockholders  in  the  company  thus  reorganized  are  betweoi. 
eight  and  nine  thousand  in  numljer,  and  are  scattered  through  mon 
than  half  the  states  of  the  union.  Their  money  made  the  ijroperty 
they  now  seek  to  save  and  enhance.     They  ask  no  subsidy,  no  addi- 


Uon 
plo 


'  bonofit  from  or 

3orporatetl  by  ai 

te  its  roaii  by  Jii- 

intatives,  approv 
n  of  tho  road  twi 

ied  "joint  resolu 
Nortliern  Pacili 
hanging  tho  tini 

r,  1806,  applies  tn 
[jint  resolution  i>; 
•  completing  thi 

n  of  July  1,  ISiiS. 

ting  the  road,  ii: 

at  the  date  fixed 

ave  adoptod  tin 
laL  the  compaiiv 

conclusion,  an: 
road  even  witli 

[press  an  opinior 
At  all  events, 

se,  as  at  pi'esen; 

had  constructeii 
ta,  a  distance  oi 
n  the  Col uni bill 
100  of  10)  inilo< 
ns,  frustrated  it- 

ss  had  author]/ 
1  1)3'^  a  mortgiiLt 
ad  issued  boml- 
same  by  a  fir~; 

fault,  was  foro- 
ito  the  hands  <i! 
holr  benefit, 
leurring,  either 
the  company : 
is,  and  in  Sep 
which  was  pii; 
covered  by  tiK 

3(1  are  betweci. 
I  through  moll 
0  tho  property 
bsidy,  no  addi- 


31 

Uonal  grant  or  privilege,  only  an  extension  of  time  In  which  to  com- 

eete  tlie  enterprise  in  wiiich  their  money  is  invested,  and  which  has 
1011  (lolayt'd  and  liiiid(>ii'd  by  causes  over  wiii<'li  they  had  no  con- 
li^)l,  and  wliicli  occurrod  by  no  tault  or  omission  of  theirs. 

The  question  lor  the  consideration  ot  the  committee  is,  whether  tho 
jUiblic  interests  require  the  comjtletion  of  this  road,  on  the  route  and 
lirms  provided  in  the  act  of  1S()4,  in  the  same  or  in  a  greater  degree 
than  at  tlu;  time  of  its  passage;  and  if  so,  whether  additional  time 
■houlil  be  granted  to  the  company  now  engaged  in  tlie  enterprise  for 
Us  completion. 

The  arguments,  proand  con,  on  the  subject  of  national  encourage- 
ment to  traiisfontineutal  railroads  are  too  familiar  to  require  recapit- 
ulation, 'i'his  discussion  was  ably  and  stoutly  maintained  on  either 
side  by  statesmen  whose  intellertual  strength  and  comprehension  of 
the  suljject  have  left  little  or  nothing  to  be  added.  The  result  was  in 
ftivor  of  promoting,  by  imblic  aid,  the  construction  of  northern,  cen- 
tral and  southern  roads  from  the  Mississippi  valley  to  the  Pacific 
ocean. 

In  pursuanee  of  this  policy,  thirteen  years  ago  47,000,000  acres  of 
the  public  lands  were  granted  for  tiie  eonstruction  of  the  northern 
road.  Its  route  lies  through  a  fertile  country,  rich  in  all  the  physi- 
cal cliaraeterislics  necessary  for  the  siipjjort  of  a  vast  and  prosperous 
population.  Its  grades  are  easier  tliaii  on  most  of  the  roads  in  the 
eastern  states,  and  where  the  line  diverges  from  a  straight  course,  to 
avoid  impassable  mountain  ranges,  it  opens  to  settlement  the  fertile 
valleys  of  the  rivers  whoso  l)anks  it  follows. 

Settlers  have  piocecded  in  the  faith  of  its  construction,  and  pros- 
perous territori(;s  all  along  its  route  .are  only  waiting  for  the  addition- 
al population  wliicli  its  completion  would  speedily  bring  to  claim 
their  jilaces  among  the  states. 

The  committee  an;  of  opinion  that  a  due  regard  to  tho  interests  of 
these  territories,  and  of  the  hardy  pioneers  who  have  settled  them, 
deiuands  liberal  action  on  the  i)art  of  congress  to  com;  lete  this  road, 
to  wliicii,  in  a  measure,  the  public  faith  was  pledged  ;  that  the  lands 
originally  granted  are  held,  as  it  were,  in  trust  fV)r  the  benefit  of  those 
Settlers;  and  that,  even  if,  .-<tn'cfi.s.suiii  Jiin'.'^,  advantage  might  be  fa- 
llen ot  the  failure  to  meet  the  requirements  of  the  charter  in  point  of 
time,  still,  good  policy,  if  not  good  faith  requires  the  waiver  of  that 
advantage  and  a  reasonable  extension  of  time  to  seoure  the  accom- 
jlishmeiit  of  this  great  national  work. 

It  further  appears  that  the  present  company  is  composed  of  those 
who  have  contriliuted  whatever  money  has  thus  far  gone  into  the 
work,  and  that  nobody  else  proposes  to  undertake  it. 

It  is  operating  at  the  present  time  nearly  six  hundred  miles  of 
road,  in  good  condition  and  under  excellent  management. 

In  1S74  its  net  earnings  were s;  22,876  40 

In  1875  its  net  earnings  were 152,140  00 

In  1876  its  net  earnings  were 202,062  81 

£||  1877  its  net  earnings  were 3!t2,698  47 

Its  property  has  actually  cost  about  .§20,000,000  in  money.  It  is 
fiNpe  from  debt,  and  its  directors  are  confident  that  they  can  complete 
the  road  upon  the  credit  of  this  property  and  the  land  grant,  if  sutfl- 
oiint  time  is  allowed  them.  The  distance  from  Bismarck  to  the  Co- 
lumbia river  is  1,205  miles,  and  the  construction  of  the  road  for  that 
distance  gives  a  continuous  route  by  rail  and  water  from  the  lakes  to 
the  Pacific  ocean. 


T 


■ «; 


i 


li    'Wr- 


32 

The  cominitteo  aro  of  opinion  that,  under  the  oircumstiineos,  tlic 
company  is  ontitleil  to  tliu  favoraidn  con.sidemtion  of  connrc-sH,  and 
tliat  llioro  is  a  reasonalilo  assiiiantjo  tliat  it  will  be  able  to  linlMli  Hm 
work  during  tlio  noxl  ten  years. 

lly  tho  original  cliartor  of  tlio  Nortliorn  Pacific  conipanj'  it  was  au 
thorizod  to  construct  its  road  by  two  routes  tiirough  Wasliinpton  tci- 
ritory,  tho  npjx'r  being  designated  as  tho  main  line,  and  the  lower  as 
tho  branch  lino. 

IJ3'  subsequent  acts  these  designations  have  been  reversed,  so  thin 
its  main  lino  now  tends  soutlierly  frcnu  Lake  Pen  d'Oicillo  to  tlio  Co- 
hnnbia  river  and  thence  through  tlio  valley  of  tluvt  river  to  I'ortlanii, 
in  Oregon. 

It  is  tho  desire  of  Oregon  that  the  last  division  of  the  road  should 
be  constructed  on  tho  southerly  side  of  tho  Columbia  river,  and  tlii 
committee  have  so  provided  in  tho  bill. 

Tho  company  has  changed  tho  location  of  the  branch  lino  to  oiu 
more  southerly,  and  it  is  doubtful  whether  even  the  new  location  i> 
piaclicable,  owing  to  the  ditliculty  of  crossing  the  Cascade  mouiil- 
ains,  which  divide  the  territory,  running  nurtherlj'  and  southerly 
across  almost  its  entire  vvidtl;.  Tlio  representatives  of  Wasliingtoii 
territoiy  oppose  tho  continuation  of  tlio  grant  lor  the  construction  o! 
this  branch  as  keeping  tho  lands  tieil  up  against  settlement,  and  tin 
cummittoe,  in  deieronce  to  their  wishes,  report  in  favor  of  the  restora- 
tion of  the  land  withdrawn  on  that  branch  to  tho  public  domain,  ex- 
cepting about  "!•■'?, 000  acres  earned  by  tho  construction  of  a  road  ex- 
tending thirty-one  miles  oasterl}'  from  Tacoma. 

By  thi.^  change  of  location,  more  than  (J, 000, 000  of  acres  of  land  iii 
Washington  territory,  covered  by  tho  original  locations,  will  be  re- 
stored to  tho  public  domain. 

A  proposition  was  considered  by  thocommittoo  to  decilare  forfeited 
by  the  Northern  Pacific  company  all  lands  in  Washington  territory 
withdrawn  for  its  branch  line,  and  to  grant  an  e(iual  amount  to  tlir 
Portland,  Salt  Lake  and  Soutli  Pass  company,  a  corporation  of  the 
state  of  Oregon,  organized  to  construct  a  railroad  from  Portland, 
through  the  Columbia  valley,  to  Umalilla,  and  thence  by  a  souther- 
ly route  through  Eastern  Oregon,  souio  -loO  miles  to  tlio  Union  Pa- 
cific and  Central  Paiiilic  at  Ogdon. 

This  seems  to  your  committee  to  bo  a  schomo  to  obtain  from  Con- 
gress an  endowment  for  a  new,  indepeiulent  road,  and  one  which, 
if  (;onstru('ted,  would  bo  a  rival  road  to  that  of  the  Northern  Pacitic. 
These  reasons,  without  passing  upon  its  merits,  seem  suHicient  m 
the  committtee  to  prevent  its  incorporation  in  a  bill  to  promote  and 
encourage  the  compleiion  of  tlie  Northern  Pacitic  ioad,  and  tliey 
leave  the  lands  restored  to  the  public  domain  by  the  discontiuuann 
of  the  brancli  unincumbered  by  any  new  ai)propriiition. 

While  reporting  in  favor  of  extending  the  imo  vnthin  which  tlu 
company  may  linish  thuir  road,  the  committee  are  greatly  impressed 
by  the  necessity  of  withdrawing,  as  far  as  possible,  all  obstacles  tii 
the  settlement  of  the  lands  covered  by  the  grants  to  this  company. 

The  marketable  value  of  the  lands  will,  ef  course,  be  enhanced  a> 
the  work  of  construction  progresses,  and  tho  company  should  bo  al- 
lowed some  control  of  that  enhancement,  and  some  advantage  there- 
from. 

At  the  same  time,  the  public  advantage  to  be  derived  from  the 
early  setilement  of  these  lands  should  not  besacriticed. 


Tl 
tuni 
trol 
•nd 
firon 

A 


To 


i 


as 


ircumstnncoM,  tin 
ol'  coiijiruNs,  itiiil 
ubio  lo  liniisli  tli( 

iiipaiiy  it  wns  nii- 
Washington  tci-. 
and  tlio  lower  a- 

revorsod,  so  Ihni 
Oreillo  to  tlio  Co- 
river  to  I'ortianti, 

r  tlio  road  slionld 
l)ia  river,  and  the 

anoh  line  to  oiu 
e  new  location  is 
Cascade  nioiiiu- 
3'  and  southerly 
j.s  of  VVashinj^toii 
0  construction  o: 
;tlenient,  and  tin 
or  ol'  the  restoni- 
biie  domain,  ox- 
ion  of  a  road  ex- 

f  acres  of  land  in 
Lions,  will  be  ic- 

de(!lare  forfeited 
lington  tcrrilorv 
il  amount  to  tiic 
rporalion  of  tlio 

from  Portlaiui, 
ce  by  a  .soutlior- 

tlio    Union  I'a- 

btain  froni  Coii- 
ivnd  one  which, 
lortlierii  Pacific. 
3111  suMicient  u> 
to  i)romoto  and 
ioad,    and   thcv 

discontiniianci 
ion. 

itliin  which  tlu 
•eatly  impres.sed 
,  all  ob.stacles  tn 
his  company. 

be  enhanced  a> 
ly  should  be  al- 
dvantage  there- 

srived  from  the 
ed. 


Tlio  coinniitff'c  have,  tlusroforc,  cnlarjifd  the  righls  and  opportii- 
tnnilics  of  actual  .M'ttlors,  while  rcscrx  iny  to  the  company  the  con- 
tlQ^l  over  tlio  land  already  earned  on  the  line  of  the  tinished  road, 
l^'d  over  the  surveyed  lands  within  the  limits  of  one  hundred  miles 
froni  tlu)  progress  of  its  c((ii>tru('tii>ii. 

All  of  which  is  nspecttully  submitted. 

N'li.ws  Ol    riiK  MiNoniTY 

To  accompany  llie  report  of  llie  ('oimniltee  on  the  riu-idc  I'iiilroad, 
on  the  bill  e.sli'iidinu  I  lie  time  to  cdiist  nict  and  complete  the  North- 
ern I'acitii!  Kailroad: 

The  uiulersigned  di  ameo  lo  the  reimrf  of  the  committee,  and  op- 
pOHO  the  passagenfii  bill  for  ii  icih  w;il  olthe  grant  of  lands  made  by  it, 
which  is  ill  substance  and  priii'','ie  a  //«•'(  <ji<itit,  lo  which  wo  are 
opposi'd.  .Such  grants  are  imi  now  warnmted  by  the  jtublic  interest, 
and  are  condemned  l>y  the  lublic  jiiilgment. 

\Vm.   K.  Moiiiu.soN, 

J.    K.     LlTlKKMi, 
(ji.    M.    liANDKItS. 

Two  telegrams  and  their  resol.ilions  tV'/in  one  of  tlie  Directors,  and 
the  w<)>:l  of  anotiier,  who  was  ai  their  meeting  April  :Jr)th,  declare 
that  111 ej-  caiinol  biiilii  the  road  under  the  provisions  of  the  bill, 
which  passed  tliti  senate  April  li:>d.  It  has  beiMi  hoped  thatllieJIon.se 
would  amend  this  bill,  and  that  the  Senate  would  concur,  and  thns 
aasiire  the  road. 

But  this  hojio  is  faliaeious.  This  bill  cannot  bo  reached  in  the 
House,  and  tin-  jiroper  Hou.-e  bill,  if  reached,  is  likely  to  be  compli- 
cated and  defeated  by  this  >Sen,'te  bill.  J?ut  the  point  of  chief  tronble 
is  that  for  four  months  tlie  originU  Senate  liill  was  luild  in  the  bands 
of  their  railroad  committee  in  ordc-  to  enforce  restri(!tions  which  the 
company  could  not  accejit.  Mr,  IMii'-hell  said  in  the  discussion  of 
this  bill  in  the  Senate,  .April  -l-liX;  "Ai.d  bet-auso  I  have  during  the 
past  four  months  contemled  with  all  the  zeal  and  energy  1  could  com- 
mand for  terms  tl'.at  would  induce,  or,  if  you  please,  compel,  the 
Northern  l'a(;itic  Kailroad  Company  to  concede  in  this  jirojiosed  leg- 
itilation  (iondiiions  which,  as  one  of  the  representatives  of  the  Slate  of 
Oregon  and  tlie  great  Paeilic  northwest,  I  regarded  as  but  just  to 
that  section  of  our  common  conntr,y,  and  which  conditions  I  did  not 
tHen  and  do  not  now  regard  as  materially  embarrassing  to  tliut  com- 
pany, etc."  Mr.  M.  assumes  >vitii  obvious  propriety  to  represent  in 
this  (piestion  "the  State  of  (.)regon,'"  "the  great  Pacific  Is'orlhwc^st," 
i^d  "that  section  of  our  common  country."  lie  was  thus  liolden 
by  his  peers  in  the  Senate  to  the  argument  upon  that  high  and  eoni- 
pi^Iutiisive  trust.  His  just  ami  eloiiuenl  exordinm  upon  this  -'great 
Itifeartery  of  the  conlinuiit,"  was  calculated  to  inspire  further  confi- 
dence in  his  zeal  and  his  purpose  to  secure  the  early  completion  of 
the  road. 

The  progress  of  the  discussion  shows  that  Senators  were  ready  to 
sdd  the  enterprise. 

Restrictions. 

What  conditions  did  ho  as  chairman  of  the  railroad  committeo  try 
to  enforce  upon  the  Northern  Pacific  llaiiroad  Coinjian^'  during  four 
long  months?      On  page  5  of  his  speches,  April  22d  and  2:},  he  says: 

First — "Such    provisions   as    would  compel    at  an    early  day  the 


ni 


« 


34 

biilldinj?  of  HO  iimch  of  tlioir  roiul  nM  would  bo   nocoMMiiry  to  opon  i, 

tlio  monopolv-bouiKJ  Columbia  river  to  froc  iiiivip;utioii."  •"■  '" 

II)  nil  \' 

Mr.    M.    profossos  riiondship    for   i!io  N.    1*.  II.  11.,  hh  a  niitioi:,  ^j,^  j,,",, 
trniisL'ontinontiil    niiid,   sliortcM-  uud  of  boltor  ^nulo.s   Hum  others:    „Qjai| 
road  noc'dcd  for  ititftiior  <'omiii('i(;(t,  lU'odod  to  chock  tho  Hpirit  of  in    ^|^QJ^^^. 
liopoly  of  th«  I'liioii  and  Ccntnil    riudlic"   coiiipiiidcs;   iioodt'il  l)y  ll       j||,. 
MtiiitriiliiiW  I'uopio  of  the   I'atMlK!   Slates   and   Torritorics;   iiuodod  I    ina,j,| 
tho    conmiereo   belweon  Asia  and   Polynosia;    needed    for   tho  sii: 
f^rowth  of  Iho  great  Northwest,  ote.     llo  sees  and  doelaros  tho  neci  *' 

slty  of  this  national   road  as  othors  seo  it.     Hois   not   in  tho   fo>,' i       He  1 
any  poini.  lie  claims  to  roi)resont  its  broad  interests.     Ho  knows  tl  own  ai 
orifj;iiial  purpose  of  tho  govornmont  in  tlio  survey   of  this  route   an  to  buil( 
its  ))lan   in  tlui  large  urant  of  land  to  indu(;o  capital  to  budd  tho  roa  origina 
lie  knows  tiiaL  ;^3U,(Mi(>,(iO()  have  l>eon  invested  in  it  by  'on  thousaii  uotnpl 
honest,  conliding  men  and  women,  from  twenty  States,  on  thoir  fait  they  u 
In  this  govermnent  subsidy.     IIo  knows  that  a  general  bankrupti\ 
for  which  tiiey  wore  not  rt>sponsible.  has  com[)oUed   thoso   crecliiui 
to  take  the  property  of  tho   unfinished   road  and    become    its   stock      Mr. 
holders,    lie  knows  thoy  aro  com|)t'lled  to  ask  nioro  time  to  comi)lt'i  WaHhii 
the  road,  and  tiiat  this  is  all  they  ask.     ilo  knows  that  they  must  n  month' 
itto  secure  more  funds.   IIo  knows  tliat  the  measure  as  stated  by  M.  nunure 
Lamar — i)ago  II — "is  domanded  alike  by  Justice,  i)ro|)riety  and  pn  1*""  In 
icy,"  and  that,  as  Mr.  L.  says,  "there  is  objortion  to  loading  this  liil  aspor  j^ 
with  other  conditions  than  thoso   which  provide  for  a  simple  extc:;^' **"*' 


sion  of  relief." 


R.  R. 


IIo  knows  that  their  claim  for  more  time  was  equitable,  and  tiii'^''  *"'" 
their  investmentfi  on  tho  previous  pledges  of  tho  govcrnmont  ii;i^*  j®  ^ 
given  them  vested  rights  in  tho  whole  original  land  grant  for  lli  f®*''*'"' 
road.  '«"^5 « 

Ho  knows  that  no  act  of  thoso  creditors  has  vitiated  these  vestc  ^''^      ' 
rights,  and  that  Congress  cannot  Justly;  and  that  probably  it  iuis  ii  •"***"  ^^''' 
disposition  to  compel  thoso    people    who   have   received   little  or  ii' 
interest  on  their  investment,   to  make  a  new  and  harder  bargain.        Oreir 

Ho  knows  that  they  have  never  surrendered  their  franchises;  tlm  - -^  271 
no7«o  wnmDilo  writ  has  been  issued  against  them;  and  that  by  i'0"i;hev  ar< 
mon  law  ''the  privileges  and  immunities,  the. estates  and  l)ossossioib'j,jj^^j,. 
of  tho  corporation,  when  once  vof-ted  in  thom,  will  bo  forever  vescoiryQyi^  ., 
without  any  new  conveyance  to  now  succesions."  ions  to 

llo  knows  that  Iho  pioneer  settlors  from  the  groat  lakes  to  the  I'a  ip^jg  ^^ 
citic  ocean,  along  this  northoni  route,  have  also  made  large  i»vosi  j^ggjjj 
ments  on  the  pledges  of  the  national  government  in  their  origuia  jjj|Hy„j 
contract  with  the  Northern  Taiilic  Kailaoad  Company.  jjg  pj-o. 

He   knows  that   these  investments  of  the  hardy,    solf-sacrificiiingQQUj, 
founders  of  new  Territories  and  States  have   in  equity  rights  of  tli' 
nature  of  contracts,  which  on  their  part  are  in  i)rocoss  of  fultillment 
and  that  they  wait  with  intense  anxiety  along  tho  whole  line  for  tin    The  i 
government  to  fulfill  its  [)art.  '       U80,00( 

Ho  knows  that  tho  whole  nation  will  gain  largely  by  this  invest  ;237,48i' 
ment  of  its  lands,  which  now  havo  no  value,  but  which  will  at  oiicisseisec 
sell  for  cash  if  tho  road  is  assured,  lie  knows  that  government  ex.;374,01i 
pauses  alongthe  route  will  diminish  and  government  receipts  will  in  )er  yea; 
crease  millions  annually  il  tho  road  is  completed.  If  OOf 

IIo  knows  that  many  millions  ($oO,000,()00  or  ?!i)0,000,00())  must  bfeventy 
borrowed  by  the  N.P.  R.  11.  Company  on  thoir  seouritios  to  proceeilf  the  o 
to  finish  their  enterprise,  and  that  capitalists  in  our  own  country, Ive  yet 
and  more  so  now  in  Europe,  are  shy  of  American    railroad  bonds,  ears —i 


<« 


iMHiiry  to  opoii  I, 

K.,  as  a  nation 
3.S  tliiiu  otlioiN: 
tliu  Hpirit  1)1'  III 
m;  iiootlt'tl  hy  II 
)rios;  nco'lod  I 
lod  for  tlio  mi: 
iclaros  tho  nci'i 
)t  in  llio  ioix  I 
i,  Ilo  knows  tl 
>1'  tiiis  route;  iiii 
to  l)Uil(J  tho  roa 


86 

And  tliat  it  will  !)(>  iiard  to  piin'o  now  lionds  ot'tlrst-cla>4s  railroiidsovon 
in  ati y  ruarlvct  of  tiio  world;  and  thai  it  will  ho  iinpossildo  to  plaoo 
th9  h'liids  of, my  raih'oiid  that  is  ciil  down  in  iis  land  tranchisrw,  atid 
not  allowed  to  soli  itsown  lands-  w  inn  canicd— at  niarUoi  laUis,  and 
whose   lands  aro  sjuidod  hy  tho  indolinilo  claims  of  oMicrs. 

Mr.   Mitclii'U  iias  a  d^'ar  mind  and  a  sliarp  sight  of  Ihu  nmiii  issuo 
in  A  qnuHlion. 


govornniont  Iim 
uul  grant  for  lli 


Cash  to  C'omim.kte  tiik  Uo.\  i>  rirK  kiiist  (iukat  Nkkd. 

He  has  hcon  awaio,  and  lio  is  now  conscious,  us  ap|>c'ars  hy  his 
own  aii;iiim'nt,  that  tlin  cliief  ohjoi-t  of  llio  company  Is  to  got  funds 
to  build  tho  road.  I'oiiliis  they  ask  an  cxionsion  of  time  on  tho 
original  conlracl.  'I'hu  hankers  to  wliom  tlu'V  apply  ilomand  timo  to 
.  hy  'on  tliousaii  uomplcto  thocniorpriso,  and  put  it  in  oondilioiilo  pay  intorost  hoforo 
tos,  on  thoir  fail  they  will  opon  iheir  vaults  and  i.Nsuo  cash  on  llio  lionds. 
oral  hankrupt^^  1^^,^^^,,^  ,^^.    „^.j  ^^. 

1   those   creditiM 

oconie  its  .stock  Mr.  Mitolicll  knows  that  tho  jiioneors  in  Dakota,  Montana,  I(hvho, 
timo  to  compU';  Washington  and  Oregon  snlVer  great  inconvcniciicu  and  loss  hy  ovory 
hat  thev  must  li  month's  delay  of  the  roal,  and  that  its  (;oniplction  will  add  from  ono 
I  as  stated  hy  Mi  hundred  to  throe  hundred  per  cent,  lo  iho  cash  value  of  ovory  aero  of 
roiiriotv  and  pn  l»"i'  i"  Iheso  Slates.  Tliu  Union  and  Central  Pacilic  railroads  havo, 
)  loading  this  Im  ftspOJ*  statistics,  a<ld(Ml  iVoni  one  i  ,  four  iiiiiidred  per  cent,  to  tho  vahio 
ir  a  simple  extc:; ''^ '*"*'■'  '"  the  .states  iiaverseil  by  ilioin.  "Tho  sales  ol  tin;  I'.  V. 
*  '  R.  R.  land  grant  to  Decunhor  ;!1,"  is?.'.,  wen>  l,l!t:},!tlJ  !ll-l()0  acres, 
iiitable  and  tli.^*"" '^''''^''''^^*  O'J.  at  the  average  price  of  S4  17  per  aoro.  An  etiinil 
value  surely  was  tiiven  to  the  same  nnniher  of  acres  on  tho  oven 
sections  rolulned  hy  the  goveriimeiu.  'Pheaverago  price  per  acre  of 
lands  granted  to  and  sold  by  tne  ( '.  1'.  U.  II.  Co.,  was  si  .")S  to  Janu- 
ted  tho.so  vosti' *''y  '^'^'  ''^'i^'''"  Maiiy  of  theso  lands  had  no  (uvsh  value  Ijeforo  tho 
robably  itliasi,'-oad^^«'*'"i'lt- 
sivod  little  or  ii' 
ardor  bargain.         Oregon, 

•Iranchises;  Miii-j^q^27i  s(piare  miles,  which  amoiini  to  ;54lt,(ii:i,l40  acres.  Suppo.se 
/^'^''y"**^  y  *^?"'Jiey  are  worth  one  <lollar  per  acre  now,  the  N.  I'.  I'.allroad  and  its 
s  and  l>o'^sossioih  j.jjjyjjjj.j^.j,!^  which  would  traverse  and  tap  tiiein  in  all  diroetions, 
JO  lorever  vesteii^QPjjj  .j,j,j  ,j,m  ,jonar  to  every  acre,  or  throe  hundred  and  lifty  mil- 
ion«  to  iho  whole, 
lakes  to  the  1  a  rpjig  average  valiio  added  by  tho  other  transcontinental  lino  is  four 
uido  large  hivesi  jj^^^jj^^  much,  wliich  in  this  case  would  amounl  to  fonrloiMi  hundred 
111   their  origiiiii  niiUons.    No  one  doubts  that  tho  \.  V.  11.  W.  would  add  this   sum  to 

'y*  he  properlv  if  not  to  Mio  land  of  these  .states  within  live  years  after 

,    solf-saorifieiiiHgQ<,mj,iyij'„„_ 

itv  rights  of  tip 

\iHo(  fultilhneiit  ^  '*^"^''- 

hole  line  for  tin    The  assessed   value   of  iiroportj'    in  California    alone    rose    from 

U80,000,(iOf)    In    isiil-;").     when    the   C.    I'.    II.    R.     was    begun,     to 

'  Ijy  this  invest  337,483, 17.")  07  in   lisiis),   when  the  overland  railroad  was  done.     Tho 

liieh  will  at  oik  issewed  value  in  1874-5  live  years   later,  was  ,si>ll,4!J5,l!t7,  a  gain  of 

government  ex.;374,012  43,  or   about  150  per  cent,  in  live  years;  or  34  3-5  per  cent. 

It  receipts  will  in  )er  year. 

If  one  state  gained  in  assessed  property  value  three  h    ndrod  and 

,000,000)  must  1)1  eventy-ibur  million.s  of  dollars   in    live   3'ear.s  after  the  LTUipletion 

irities  to  proeeoilif  the  overland  road  to  it,  and  tifty-seveii  millions    in    the   previous 

ir  own    country, ive  years,  while    waiting    for    its  completion — S431, 000,000  in    ten 

railroad  bonds,  ears —ii  is  fnir  to  assume  that  the  live  northern  States,  if  traver:»ed 


r.ossFCs  HY  Ukstuiotino  thr  N.  p.  R.  H. 
Washington,     Idaho     Montana    and     Dakota     contain 


36 

by  the  N.  P.  R.  R.,  which  contain  three  times  the  area  of  Califor- 
nia, will  f^ain  three  times  that  sum  of  assessed  property  value,  which 
would innouiit  to  twelve  hunilred  and  ninoty-lhroo  uiillioiis  of  dol- 
lars. This  sHui  L/fass(T5.M>d  v.vl nation  falls  short  of  the  ])roviously 
estimated  land  or  property  valuation  only  one  hundred  millions.  We 
knww  that  assessments  fall  below  real  values  more  than  one  dollar 
in  fourteen,  which  is  the  rate  in  this  case. 

The  Pubmc  Knowt^kgk  of  thkse   Facts. 

Senator  Mitchell  has  reason  to  know  and  to  keep  in  mind  all  these 
facts  as  the  watchful  and  sworn  guardian  of  these  great  national  in- 
terests,  and  the  special  representative,  according  to  his  o  vn  confes- 
sion, of  this  *'great  Pacific  Northwest." 

It  in  the  burden  of  his  other  duties  he  ha°  not  had  time  to 
make  these  simple  calculations,  or  evci  to  read  and  note  the  pub- 
lished statements  of  them,  j^et  the  great  and  intenely  anxious 
public,  whoso  -^ye  has  been  tixed  upon  )iim  as  their  representaiivo 
in  his  place,  at  the  head  of  the  Senate  Railroad  Comniictee,  has 
read  them  again  and  again,  and  weighed  and  measured  them,  hav- 
ing confidence  in  their  Senator,  have  invested  their  nomos  and 
their  money  on  tlie  assurances  of  this  overland  road. 

The  People  o:>ly  want  what  is  Just  and  Fair. 

As  reasonable  men,  the  people  along  this  whole  route  would  far 
ratlier  grant  an  extension  of  time  to  the  company  on  the  original 
franchise  and  contract,  as  the  bill  for  extension  of  Mine  passed  the 
Senate;  in  the  session  of  187'j-7 — Senator  Mitchell  himself  then 
favoring  it — than  to  lose  this  overland  road,  or  than  hinder  it  by 
restrictions  that  kill  it.  Reasonable  settlers  prefer  to  buy  their 
lands  of  the  company  at  their  market  rates,  varying  with  the 
quality  and  the  location,  rather  than  get  those  lands  as  homo- 
steads  and  be  deprived  of  this  transcontinental  railroad.  Tliey 
can  alford  to  buy  and  pay  for  the  lands  with  the  real.  They  can 
not  alford  to  take  them  and  hold  them  as  hoinesteadi  far  on  the 
route  without  the  road.  In  this  case  most  of  the  whole  reg'on 
must  remain  pasture  ground. 

The    Issue.  ■ 

In  the  face  of  all  these  facts,  and  the  untold  collateral  interests  of 
the  vast  .  action  of  our  common  country  which  he  ropresoits,  Sena- 
tor Mitchell,  as  lie  says,  tried  for  four  months,  in  his  p'ace  at  th^ 
head  of  the  railroad  connniltee,  'to  t  ,nipel  the  N.  P.  R.  J..  Company 
to  build  so  much  of  their  road  as  would  be  necessary  to  open  up  the 
monopoly-bound  Columbia  river  to  free  navigation." 

In  other  words,  they  must  agree  to  borrow  §400,000,  or  perhaps 
$000,000,  as  engineers  estimate,  mortgaging  their  completed  road,  in 
ouler  to  build  20  miles  of  portage  road  to  compete  with  a  local  yet 
rich  portage  transportation  company.  In  other  words,  they  must 
lose  the  entire  grant  for  the  overland  road  unless  they  will  tight 
what  he  styles  a  local  monopoly.  Mr.  Mitchell  admits,  page  9,  that 
"there  are  obstructions  to  navigation  at  these  two  portages,  which 
cannot  be  overcome  except  by  the  construction  of  a  canal  and  locks; 
and  that  tl  e  general  i^overnment  has  commenced  these  at  the  Cas- 
cades, though  u  work  of  this  character  will  require  considerable 
time."  He  kn  ws  that  the  O.  8.  N.  Co.  can  afford  to  lake  freight 
across  their  portages  free,  or  so  low  as  to  break  an  opposition   rail- 


37 


of  Califor- 
oluc,  wluch 
Diis  of  dol- 

l)roviously 
illions.  We 
1  one  dollar 


id  all  these 
national  in- 
)  vn  confos- 

lad  time  to 
)to  the  pul>- 
ilj'  anxious 
preseiitaiivo 
iinittee,  has 
them,  hav- 
uomos  and 


AIR, 

,e  would  far 
the  orifiinal 
■  passed  the 
linself  then 
linder  it  by 
1  buy  their 
^    with  the 

as  homo- 
\d.      They 

They  can 
far  on  the 
hole  reg'on 


interests  oC 
50. its,  Sena- 
ace   at  tli^ 
Company 
ijten  up  the 

or  perhaps 

cd  road,  in 

a  local  yet 

they  must 

will    tight 

>a<i,e  9,  that 

;;es,  which 

and  locks ; 

the  Cas- 

nsiderable 

ke  freight 

ition  rail- 


road portage  company  that  has  no  continuous  R.  R.  lino  from  tide 
water  to  the  interior.  Ho  may  know  tiiat  the  company  cannot  bor- 
row money  on  this  end  along  the  Columbia  river  uniil  their  railroad 
connects  thii  river  with  the  Missouri.  Yet  he  insists  on  i'orcing  ('lo 
N.  P.  K.  R.  into  a  quarrel  with  a  rich  corporation. 

They  must  tight  with  borrowed  money  and  run  the  risk  of  losing 
both  interest  and  principal.  They  must  do  it  while  dependent  on 
that  hostile  company  to  do  the  freighting  of  the  materials  for  their 
own  main  lino  eastward  from  the  Columbia  river.  Senator  Mitchell, 
as  ho  confesses,  sought  to  force  local  issue  from  December  lo  April 
upon  the  N.  P.  R.  R,  Co.,  which  wasted  time  and  made  capitalists 
more  shy  of  the  investment  in  their  bonds,  and  so  far  deftatod  ihis 
great  national  overland  road.  He  knew  that  if  the3'  could  not  atl'ord 
to  borrow  tnoney  to  build  and  run  those  opposition  portage  railroads, 
no  other  company  could  do  it,  and  that  the  only  possible  way  for  the 
free  navigation  of  the  Columbia  was  by  canal  and  locks. 

Seconh  Issue. 

By  constraint  he  admits  that  after  April  1st,  he  yielded  his  restric- 
tion of  uniting  the  Salt  liake  branch  with  the  N.  P.  R.  K.,  yet  insist- 
ed on  complicating  the  two  roads  as  a  common  I'oad.  Sections  8  and 
9,  with  their  nunier'ous  provisos,  darken  the  prospects  still  more  in 
the  way  of  securing  funds  to  complete  the  enterprise. 

The  Essential  Thing'   to  the  N.  P.  R.  R. 

A  fixed  purpose  to  have  this  road  built,  demanded  that  the  bill  be 
as  Senator  Lamar  said,  (page  li),  without  "other  conditions  than 
those  which  provide  for  a  simple  extension  of  relief  "  This  was  Sena- 
tor Morrill's  view— page  24.  He  thought  the  loss  of  eleven  million 
acres  a  burden  upon  the  :oad,  and  the  combination  of  roads  another 
burden.  Success  required  that  every  provision  of  the  bill  he  made 
after  its  review  and  acceptance  l)y  vote  of  the  directors.  Success  re- 
quired the  report  early  in  the  session. 

Defeat  of  the  enterpris  ^  is  the  hfgical  result  of  mo.iths  of  delay  ;  of 
lack  of  harmony  with  the  board  ot  directors  ;  of  new  restrieJons  up- 
on the  grant  and  fruitless  lojal  hardships  upon  its  construction. 
These  have  trigged  it  and  probably  switched  it  olfthe  track,  enlail- 
ing  a  deep  disappointment  fud  loss  upon  multitrdes  and  gain  upon 
only  a  few. 

Senator  Mitchell  had  the  courtesy  to  send  nie  a  coi>y  of  his 
apeeches,  April  22  and  28,  upon  this  senate  bill,  and  I  have  felt  at 
liberty  to  note  what  have  seemed  to  ine  Mie  fatal  rostrictions  upon 
the  enterprise.  Siiaring  the  painofth's  defeat  with  iai'i;e  numbei.!i 
of  ,l:e  pioneers  of  Oregon  and  Washington,  who  have  waited  long  in 
hope  of  this  overlanr'  road,  1  submit  these  views,  with  the  more 
cheerful  ones  of  past  months,  to  the  public. 

The  Labor   Mahkiot. 

The  bankruptcies  from  1873  to  1878,  stopped  many  home  indus- 
tries and  crippled  others.  Laborers  have  been  tiirown  out  of  em- 
ployment y.nd  compelled  to  use  up  their  savings.  Many  oit  of  work 
a  id  out  of  funds  have  sutfered.  Families  have  been  suddenly  re- 
duced to  want  and  some  to  beggary  or  starvation.  No  woiufer  that 
industrious  men  ask  for  work.  They  may  not  ail  see  tliat  tl ».  civl 
war  compelled  the  issue  of  two  thousand  millions  of  government 
notes   and   bonds,    which    were  called  money  and  taken  as  coin  — 


38 


i 
I 


though  at  a  discount — and  that  this  great  increase  of  what  seemed  to 
be  money,  caused  prices  of  goods,  food,  lands,  floclis,  herds,  niunu- 
factorios  and  ships  lo  go  up  ;  which  in  tui-n  bred  excessive  specula- 
tion, tiiat  has  ended  in  banltruptcies  and  the  stopping  of  worii.  Sucli 
lias  been  the  fact.  He  may  not  see  that  these  things  always  follow 
great  wars.  A  few  get  rich,  but  the  multitude  get  poor  by  war.  Yet 
our  country  is  rich  in  resources.  It  recovers  rapdily.  The  govern- 
ment can  and  it  will  pay  its  debts. 

Laboreus  Have  Just  Claims. 

Government  owes  a  debt  to  its  own  laborers.  It  it  was  a  duty  to 
protect  the  nation  for  the  sake  of  the  people,  it  is  no  less  a  duty  to 
protect  the  people  for  the  sake  of  the  nation.  If  it  is  fair — and  it  is — 
to  pay  the  government  bonds,  according  to  contract,  whether  held  at 
home  or  abroad,  it  is  also  fair  to  help  the  industries  of  the  people, 
who  must  earn  the  money  by  their  toil  to  redeem  those  bonds. 

Legislation  Apt  to  be  Partial  instead  of  National. 

After  tbe  war,  the  reconstruction  raised  new  and  grave  questions, 
very  difficult  of  solution.  The  passions  of  the  hour,  gave  occasion 
for  amoitious  partisans  to  mount  the  rostrum,  and  secure  the  conii- 
denoe  and  suffrages  of  the  people  on  the  specious  plea  of  overflowing 
patriotism.  When  in  power  thn  partisan  sacrifices  the  public  inter- 
ests to  his  private  ambition. 

While  the  state  and  national  legislatures  have  done  many  noble 
things  to  harmonize  conflictin<?  opinions  and  interests  since  the  war, 
and  all  branches  of  the  govornment  have  deservedly  won  the  grati- 
tude of  thoughtful  citizens,  yet  they  are  open  to  criticism  for  neglect- 
iii'j:  to  use  ihe  means  within  the  province  of  legislation  *n  revive  the 
i...iUstries  of  the  people. 

Effective  Legislation'*. 

A  most  efiective  sj'stem  of  finance  is  lo  open  the  way  for  the  min- 
or, the  artisan  and  the  manufacturer  to  earn  the  money  to  pay  the 
expenses  and  debts  of  the  government.  Instead  of  this,  little  has 
becMi  done  for  five  years  by  congress  to  start  the  iron  furnaces  of 
Pennsylvania,  Ohio,  Tennessee  and  Missouri,  or  develop  their  coal 
mines,  or  to  restore  the  workmen  to  the  ship-yards  of  Maine  and 
Massachusetts,  or  open  new  ones  in  Oregon  and  Washington.  Upon 
tlio  lariu'^  li  and  stock-raisers,  and  cotton  planters,  and  lumbermen 
and  oil  producers  have  been  laid  the  ciiief  burden  to  furnish  tlieir 
raw  products  for  foreign  commerce,  most  of  which  have  been  carried 
in  foreign  ships,  and  used  to  pay  for  supplies  and  the  interest  on  our 
debt  abroad. 

It  is  true  that  some  manufacturers,  of  late,  under  the  pressure  of 
shari)  competition,  have  won  their  way  into  foreign  markets  with 
their  cotton  fabrics,  their  machinerj',  their  agricultural  implements 
and  military  equipments,  and  have  turned  the  balance  of  trade  in  our 
favor.  But  these  triumphs  of  trade  have  not  been  gained  by  the  aid 
of  congress,  but  in  spite  of  its  party  strifes  and  adverse  o-  uncertain 
legislation.  The  true  policy  in  the  United  States  as  in  England  and 
in  France  is  to  furnish  manufactured  goods,  as  well  as  food  to  na- 
tions, and  to  carry  these  goods  abroad  and  find  or  develop  markets 
for  them. 

England  holds  the  trade  of  China,  South  America,  Africa,  Southern 
Asia  and  most  of  Polynesia  for  her  manufactured  goods. 


vet 

bt 

vij 


39 


mni- 

tlie 

has 

IS  of 

coal 

and 

rjou 

|men 

tlieir 

l:ried 

our 


)rn 


The  leading  men  of  the  south  to-day  assure  us  that  "they  are  look- 
ing for  its  iiituro  welfare  not  to  politics,  but  to  industry."  "  A  delega- 
tion of  them,  headed  by  Senator  Gordon,  recently  visited  liostou  to 
learn  more  about  the  manufactures  of  New  England.  "Some  tune 
ago  the  cities  of  Charleston,  yavannah.  New  (.)rleans,  Galveston  and 
others  designated  General  Gordon  to  repiesent  tli'?  industrial  intc^r- 
ests  of  the  south  in  Europe  during  the  coming  season  by  preseninig 
to  capitalists  and  others,  who  might  be  interested  the' facts  in  re- 
gard to  its  natural  resources,  with  a  view  to  investments  for  tlieir 
better  cultivation  and  development." 

"Speaking  of  the  extension  of  foreign  trade,"  says  the  Boston  Ad- 
vertif<er,  "especially  with  the  countries  nearest  to  us,  it  is  always  to 
be  remembered  that  the  first  condition  of  success  is  a  prosperous  and 
vigorous  home  industry." 

Home  Industries,  not  Partisan  Politics,  op  most  Value, 

The  strife  between  the  North  and  the  South  and  the  East  and  the 
West  is  to  be  not  which  shall  produce  the  most  of  the  raw  materi- 
als to  be  manufactured  and  sold  by  other  nations,  but  which  shall 
imitate  England  iu  employing  the  labor  of  the  people,  and  thus  reap 
t:ic  profits  both  on  raw  materials  and  finished  goods.  New  and 
•  ''  ■''-.  routes  of  commerce  must  be  opened  and  now  markets  for 
jiuods  developed. 

Tne  Pacific  States  front  the  shores  of  populous  Asia  and  Aus- 
tralia. We  have  the  advantage  of  space  and  time,  and  immense 
but  partially  used  resources  to  ultimately  run  a  large  share  of  that 
commerce. 

The  three  Overland  Railroads  needed  for  this  Puiipose. 

The  eminent  statesman  who  projected  them  in  1853,  .  and  se- 
cured the  act  of  Congress  to  make  the  surveys,  foresaw  their  im- 
portance. The  acts  of  incorporation  of  the  Northern  and  Southern, 
requiring  that  American  iron  be  used  in  their  construction,  aimed 
to  emploj'^  American  labor  and  promote  our  industries. 

Those  unfinished  roads  simply  wait  for  Congress — in  one  case  to 
merely  extend  the  time  of  completion,  and  in  the  o^'^er  to  grant 
about  one-sixth.  Mie  aid  extended  to  the  Central  and  Lnion  Pacific 
railroads. 

■  jjji  XT  OF  Labor  at  once  Employed. 

In  the  <i(  ^  i  on  truction  of  the  present  trans-continental  railroad: 
"A  total  fore,  f  20,000  to  25,000  workmen  all  along  the  lines, 
and  5,000  to  6,000  .oarns  had  been  engaged  in  grading  and  la^'ing 
the  track  or  getting  out  stone  or  timber.  From  500  to  (JOO  tons  of 
materials  were  forwarded  daily  from  eiti:er  end  of  the  lines.  The 
Sierra  Nevadas  sudden  1  liocame  alive  with  wood  choppers,  and  at 
one  place  on  the  Truckee  river  twenty-five  sawmills  went  into  opera- 
tion in  one  week.  Upon  one  railroad  70  lo  100  locomotives  were  in 
use  at  one  time,  constantly  bringing  materials  and  supplies.  At  one 
time  there  were  30  vessels  en  route  from  New  York,  via  Cape  Horn, 
with  iron,  locomotives,  rails  and  rolling  stock,  destined  for  the  Cen- 
tral Paoi;.    Railroad." 

The  iio"  employed  in  building  those  roads  kas  opened  vastly 
larger  fi(  la.  (,f  libor  on  the  routes  and  at  both  ends.  Labor  em- 
ployed increases  its  own  opportunities.  The  completion  ol  the  N. 
P.  R.  R.   would  employ  many  thousands  of  workmen  on  the  routes. 


40 


and  as  many  thousands  more  of  artisans  in  tlie  mines  and  shops.  All 
industries  would  revive  and  would  increase. 

Tiie  Texas  Pacifuj  would  produce  the  same  effects.  Both  are  lo- 
j?itiniate,  reasoiitihlc  enterprises,  sure  to  enrich  the  builders,  the 
States  and  the  nation,  and  to  expand  foreign  trade,  as  they  would 
build  up  our  own  industries. 

The  success  of  one  lino  is  proof  of  that  of  the  other  two,  running 
at  snch  distances  north  and  south. 

The  Fom^y  of  Restrictions. 

Who  can  tell  the  evil  of  hindering  the  completion  of  either  of  these 
roads  ?    We  feel  most  keenly  the  defeat  of  the  N.  P.  R.  R. 

Workingmen  feel  it  in  their  pockets,  at  their  tables,  in  their  lack  of 
power  to  provide  comforts  for  their  families.  Pioneers  have  been 
waiting  twenty'  years  for  these  overland  roads,  and  politicians, 
by  their  acts,  coolly  teil  them  that  the  time  has  not  come  for  these 
roads  to  be  built.  Our  nation  I'uns  behind  in  the  race  with  those 
who  have  fewer  resources.  Our  artizans  who  ask  for  work  are  com- 
pealed  to  linger  on  street  corners  to  got  small  jobs  for  the  support  of 
life.  Shops  are  cl'  ^1  atid  tires  die  in  the  furnaces  because,  forsooth, 
legislators  spend  tl  j       '     o  in  planning  for  new  elections. 

Shame  on  Americai.  .sma»iship!      Other   nations   mock  us  for 

our  folly.  Holding  the  i;  y  tor  the  grandest  progress  across  the  con- 
tinent and  on  both  oceans,  the  partizan  neither  uses  it  for  the  relief 
of  his  suffering  countrymen  nor  for  the  hcior  of  his  country  ! 

Possible  Forces  to   secure  the  N.  P.  R.  R.  Extension  BiLii  in 
THE  NEXT  Session  or  in  the  next  Congress. 

The  defeat  of  the  N.  P.  R.  R.  bill  this  session,  says  the  Sacramento 
Record-l^niun  ,"  diminishes  its  chances  of  becoming  a  law  at  the 
next  sef^sion."  This  would  I'e  true  with  tlie  same  condi*ious.  But 
failure  in  one  mode  of  a  right  cause  turns  true  friends  to  another 
mode.  Grant,  for  the  sake  of  argument,  tnat  the  U.  P.  and 
C.  P.  P.  R.  will  try  to  stoj)  every  rival  transcontinental  railroad 
north  or  south  of  their  line,  or  to  buy  its  controlling  stock,  if  it  wins 
its  way,  then  the  first  step  is  to  measure  tlie  force  of  that  combined 
opposition.  It  is  folly  to  blink  such  a  fact.  It  is  wisdom  to  count 
its  full  measure.  If  it  is  a  vosied  capital  of  8200,000,000,  with  a  net 
income  of  S-0, 000, 000— two  hnndrod  millions  of  dollars,  with  an 
annual  income  of  twenty  millions  of  dollars — opposing  the  N.  P.  R. 
R.  and  the  Texas  P.  R.  R.,  the  friends  of  the  two  rival  )oads  ought  to 
keep  that  fact  in  sight. 

Larger  Forces  Confront  this  vast  Capital. 

This  wealth  created  and  represented  by  one  railroad  is  only  a  sign 
of  what  can  be  created  by  one  or  two  or  three  other  lines  acioss  the 
continent.  One  store  in  a  good  location  invites  two  or  three  or  five 
othei's.  They  come  and  win  their  share  ot  the  trade  and  i)rorits,  and 
thus  the  village  grows  into  a  city.  Suppose  the  first  store 
fights  the  second  and  the  two  combine  against  the  third,  the 
contest  will  end  in  planting  all  three  stores.  If  the  present  overland 
railroad  develops  Ijusiness  and  pays  better  every  year — which  is  the 
known  fact — then  rival  lines  can  and  will  be  built.  The  force  ol  the 
existing  line,  ho\^ever  rich  and  might.v,  points  to  a  twofold  or  three- 
fold force  to  be  developed  in  other  lines.  We  can  count  that  force  at 
twice  twelve  hundred  millions,  that  will  bo  real  property  in  the  mar- 
ket in  ten  years  after  the  other  two  lines  are  built. 


tl 


m 


TJ 

C!l 

foi 

arl 
Tl] 
snl 


ops.  All 

li  are  lo- 
lers,  the 
ly  would 

running 


f  of these 

ir  lack  of 
lave  been 
•liticians, 
for  these 
ilh  those 
are  coin- 
upport  of 
forsooth, 

ck  us  for 
i  the  con- 
the  relief 
try! 

i  Bllili   IN 

icramento 
iw  at  the 
us.  But 
another 
P.  and 
raili'oad 
f  it  wins 
ombinod 
to  count 
th  a  not 
with  an 
N.  P.  K. 
ought  to 


Hy  a  sign 
li-oss  the 

or  five 
bfits,  and 
rst  store 
lird,  the 
Iverland 
jjh  is  the 
ie  ol the 
Ir  throo- 
1  force  at 

10  mar- 


41 

Cash  Value  of  onk  Overland  Road. 

Tlio  capital  of  the  II.  V.  K.  R.,  in  187(),  was  i^llO.'i'iO.iiri.  'riuit  of 
the  V.  P.  R.  R.,  in  187H,  was  $U0, 140,188.  Amount  of  bolli  AsH),. 
()(il),400, 

TJic  assessed  vn'ue  of  property  in  California  alone,  in  ls74-r),  was 
$C)11,4})5,1<J7. 

Its  value  during  five  years  after  the  overland  railroad  was  done 
had  risen  over  three  hundred  and  seventy-tour  millions  of  dollars. 
This  testimony  from  the  assessors'  books  is  a  good  ullidavit  in  Ihe 
case. 

One  hundred  and  fifty  per  cent,  gain  in  assessed  property  hi  Cali- 
fornia in  tivo  years  after  the  overland  railroad  was  completed  is  an 
argument  that  will  move  capitalists  to  enter  upon  like  enterprises, 
Tliirtj'-one  and  three-fifths  per  cent,  per  j'ear  will  rouse  tlio  bankers 
small  and  large  in  our  countrj'-  and  in  Europe  to  again  socnro  the 
prize  Every  man's  acre  shares  the  gain.  Small  landliolders  in  ('al- 
ifornia  are  made  rich  by  the  overland  railroad  who  were  poor  before 
its  comi>letion.  Large  landholders  there  have  gained  the  wealth  of 
princes,  without  effort  on  their  part,  simply  by  the  completion  of 
that  railroad.  San  Francisco  has  more  than  doubled  its  population 
and  Its  property  valuation  by  the  same  cause.  .Saci-amento  has  lifted 
itself  np  out  of  the  swamps,  dyked  itself  with  high  and  solid  lines 
of  embankment  against  the  floods,  and  laid  itself  out  with  inviting 
homes  for  its  increasing  population  of  industrious  artisans  and  mer- 
chants from  the  impulse  given  by  the  completion  of  this  road.  San 
.Jose,  Santa  Cruz,  Los  Angeles,  Marysville,  Chico,  and  many  other 
cities  thrive  and  grow  from  the  life  imparted  by  tins  overland  road 
and  its  branches. 

Gain  to  States  and  Territories, 

Other  States  through  which  this  road  passes  have  gained  a  large 
per  cent,  by  its  completion.  They  have  received  millions  from 
this  enterprise  without  investing  one  dollar  in  it. 

The  productions  of  Utah,  mineral,  agricultural  and  miscellaneous, 
in  1875,  amounted  to  $17,314,337.  Tlie  increase  of  land  cultivated 
in  1875  over  1874  was  00,250  acres.  The  Surveyor  General  reported 
land  .sold  in  the  year  1875  4!), 5)50  acres. 

The  imports  and  exports  of  Utah  during  1875  were  39,1 50,8,')! . 
The  large  business  of  that  interior  Territory  is  due  almost  entirelj'  to 
the  completion  of  the  overland  railroad. 

Such  facts  apply  to  all  the  States  and  Territories  on  the  line  and 
adjacent  to  the  line  of  the  completed  road  Nebraska,  Kansas,  Iowa 
and  Missouri  and  Illinois  have  received  like  increase  of  real  property 
values.  The  unsold  millions  of  acres  of  government  land  on  the 
line,  and  for  hundreds  of  miles  on  either  side,  have  been  made  sale- 
able by  that  finished  road. 

Prodx^cts  made  Available. 
The  miscellaneous  products  of  Utah  consist  ol  pig  iron,  iron  ore,  coal, 
coke,  fire  clay,  granite,  ice,  wool,  tallow,  hides,  pelts,  which  in 
IS75  amounted  to  3,27(),4!)9  tons,  worth  8800,384.  They  represent 
similar  classes  of  producis  developed  in  other  States  and  Territories 
by  the  U.  P.  and  C.  P.  railroads.  , 

These  freights  were  moved  and  these  goods  were  made  marketable 
by  means  of  the  overland  railroad  and  its  connections.  Such  an  in- 
terior commerce  was    impossible   until  that  highway   was  opened. 


42 


Such  productions  are  impossible  from  the  vast  interior  of  our  conti- 
nent  without  such  trans-continental  roads. 

i; T A H  M I N i:  I ;  A  r.  I'uo I ) u cTs ,  1875. 

Base  bullion,  tons 1<3,3:}0  at  8250 

Lead   bullion,  tons 44  at     100 

Silver  lead  ore,  tons 312  at     100 

Copper  bullion,  tons 349  at     250 

Copper  ore,  tons  284  at       50 

Silver  bars 

Gold   dust 

Ore  on-dumps  at  mine,  smellers'  tons 10,000 


$4,082,500 

4,400 

5.32,000 

87,949 

14,200 

.35.800 

750,000 


Tons 27,319  .^6,145,211 

These  mineral  values  were  in  fact  mostly  created  by  the  railroad, 
which  transports  the  crude  ores  and  base  bullion  to  the  smellers  and 
thus  to  market.  The  ores  of  Idaho,  Montana,  Dakota,  Arizona  and 
New  Mexico  lie  buried  and  useless,  waiting  for  the  railroad  cars  and 
engines  to  put  them  into  the  life  currents  of  business. 

Utah  Manufacturks  in  1875. 

Railroad  ties,  200,000  at  50c $     100,000 

Lumber,  M  8,000  at  315 3(i0,000 

Foundry  works,  boiler,  &c 175,000 

Boots  and  shoes 75,000 

Leather 5,000 

Lime,  bushels,  100,000  at  40   c 40,000 

Soap 3,000 

Flour,   pounds,  40,000.000  at  3c 1,200,000 

Charcoal,  bushels,  400,000  at  22c 88,000 

Fire  biiek,  M  500  at   SOc 40,000 

Building   brick,    155,000  at  lOn 1.55,000 

Ale,  porter  and  beer  barrels,  15,914  at  15c 238,710 

Cigars,  M  375  at  8(35 24,375 

Woolen  goods 300,000 

Total §2,803,985 

These  products  were  mostly  created  by  the  influence  of  the  over- 
land railroad.  They  represent  like  products  in  ten  other  interior 
States  and  Territories,  which  must  depend  mostly  on  trans-continen- 
tal railroadis  for  their  development.  Of  these  SL'Vonteon  millions  of 
Utah  productions  in  1875  it  is  fair  to  scl  ten  millions  as  the  ellect  of 
the  overland  railroad.  Multipl}'  that  gain  by  ten  other  such  States 
and  you  have  one  hundred  millions  of  yearly  products  waiting  for 
such  railroads. 

The  rise  in  value  of  lands  and  other  real  property  exceeds  three 
hundred  per  cent,  in  ten  years,  as  per  the  census  tables  in  California. 
Count  the  gain  one  dollar  per  aci-e  in  Oregon,  Washington,  Idaho, 
Montana,  Dakota,  and  the  proposed  Territory  of  Lincoln,  as  the  re- 
sult of  the  completed  N.  P.  R.  R.,  and  count  it  as  much  in  Western 
Texas,  New  Mexico  and  Arizona  in  case  of  the  completed  Texas  and 
Southern  Paeitic  Railroad — the  whole  making  an  are  of  five  hun- 
dred million  acres — and  that  sum  will  at  once  be  added  to  the  per- 
manent value  of  those  States  and  of  the  nation. 

Unless  both  roads  are  built  those  values  cannot  be  created.  This 
argument  is  effective  now.  In  view  of  it  the  C.  P.  R.  R.  have  pushed 
the  construction  o/  the  Southern  Pacific  Railroad. 


nr  contl. 


1,082,500 

4,400 

532,000 

87,1)49 

14,200 

35,800 

750,000 


;6,145,211 
railroad, 
'ller.s  anil 
r,ona  and 
cars  and 


100,000 

3(J0,00U 

175,000 

75,000 

5,000 

40,000 

3,000 

1,200,000 

88,000 

40,000 

155,000 

238,710 

24,375 

300,000 

K>,803,985 
[he  over- 
interior 
mtinon- 
ilions  of 
ellect  of 
\\\  States 
[ting  for 

Is  thi'ec 
lifornia. 

Idaho, 
I  the  re- 

^estern 
kas  and 
]e  hun- 
|he  per- 

This 
)ushed 


43 

The  S.  P.  R.  II.  Co.  lias 

Authorized  capital  stock S  '.10,000,000 

First  mortgage  bonds  authorized 4(>.0()o|ooo 

12,000,000  acres  land  grant  value  at  $  50  \  or  acre ;)t>,U00,(»0() 

Total Slt)f),(i00,(i00 

This  iniinoivso  propaiatiou  and  outlay  imply  faitli  in  a  completed 
southern  overland  railroad.  Tlie  500  miles  built  from  San  Francisco 
to  Fort  Yuma  on  the  Colorado,  on  the  western  end,  and  about  450 
miles  westv;ard  through  Texas  on  the  eastern  end,  are  prools  of  a  set 
purpose  to  (;omi)lolo  that  entire  lino.  Tlio  strife  ol  the  two  companies 
to  secure  special  grants  and  advantages  from  congress  adds  tlie  evi- 
dence of  their  intense  desire  to  vin  the  greatest  benefits  from  the  en- 
terprise. In  fact,  that  transcontinental  railroad  has  been  a  loregono 
conclusion  for  many  months  past  in  the  minds  of  thinking  observers 
of  the  facts. 

The  Signs  of  Hope  fou  the  N.  P.  K.  R. 

Its  del'eat  in  congress  this  year  was  evidently  due  to  its  restric- 
tions. But  the  public  in  the  great  north  west,  from  the  lakes  to  the 
Pacific,  has  become  aroused  to  its  importance  and  its  danger,  Tlie 
press  of  Chicago  and  New  York  is  awake  on  the  subject.  The  plot- 
tings  of  its  foes  in  and  out  of  congress  are  wat(;hed  and  exposed.  The 
merits  of  its  claims  and  the  injustice  of  neglecting  or  denying  them 
are  seen  and  lelt  by  larger  numbers  in  the  house  and  senate.  Busi- 
ness men  and  capitalists  in  city  and  country  in  the  north,  and  many 
in  the  south,  from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific,  are  believed  to  favor 
the  enterprise  as  an  act  of  justice  to  its  creditors  and  of  necessity  to 
the  unity  and  welfare  of  ilie  whole  country. 

Its  certainty  and  value  to  Oregon  are  assured  by  the  present  nar- 
row gauge  railroads  built  and  in  process  and  plan  of  construction  to 
transport  the  products  of  tlie  smaller  valleys  of  the  interior  Co- 
lumbia basin  to  the  river.  Tliese  branch  lines  anticipate  not  only 
water  carriage  to  tiie  sea,  but  a  trunk  line  of  railroad  to  tide  water. 
Otherwise  tiiey  would  be  idle  three  or  four  months  every  j'car  while 
the  upper  Columbia  is  blocked  with  ice.  Every  railroad  branch  sys- 
tem implies  a  trunk  line. 

A  Cr-EAHER  Sign. 

The  increase  of  yearly  business  on  its  000  miles  of  road  ;  the  quick 
sales  of  its  lands  in  Dakota  and  Minnesota;  the  growth  of  settlements 
along  its  proposed  route  ;  the  proofs  of  its  vast  resources  of  choice 
coal,  lime  and  iron  mines,  and  timber  torests  on  and  near  i'ugot 
Sound,  besides  its  agricultural  lands,  furnish  evidence  that  it  will 
pay  expenaes  and  the  interest  on  the  capital  needed  to  finish  it. 

Its  Need. 

More  than  all  it  needs  friends  from  Oregon  and  Washington  in  the 
house  and  senate.  Faith,  hope,  courage  and  diligence  in  a  man  who 
sees  and  feels  its  absolute  necessity  to  our  region  can  win  the  case. 
An  open,  earnest,  broad-minded,  hearty  plea  in  private  and  in  pub- 
lic, with  untiring  zeal,  will  secure  the  simple  cxtfUMum  of  (iinc  to  the 
N.  P.  R.  R.  Co.  to  finish  their  road.  Dividec  counsels,  partisan  ef- 
forts and  doubtful  restrictions  will  defeat  it  ii.  the  future  as  in  the 
past. 

The  late  Oregon  election  hinged  upon  this  question.  Oregon  has 
instructed  her  representatives  in  the  legislature  to  .send  her  ablest, 


44 


truest  and  most  faithful  oiti/on  to  the  senate  to  work  for  the  comple- 
tion of  the  N.  P.  K.  H.  as  a  national  enterprise;  and  as  an  act  of  jus- 
tice to  Ut,()()0  creditors  who  invested  :|;{0, 000,000  in  its  good  faith  8 
years  aj^o,  and  who  liavo  received  no  interest  on  tlioir  investment,  as 
an  absolute  necessity  to  the  welfare  of  this  great  northwest,  and  to 
thousands  of  hardy  pioneer  settlers,  who  have,  vvitii  faith  in  the  gov- 
ernmetit  pjodj^es  to  the  road,  invested  themselves  and  their  property 
in  homes  on  this  exposed  trontierj  and  as  a  most  efticient  means  of 
|)rotection  from  Indian  wars  along  tiiis  northern  belt  of  our  country. 
The  voice  and  vote  of  Oregon  emphasize  every  one  of  those  reasons 
at  this  moment. 

The  Basin  or  tiik  Columuia. 

The  upper  country  gives  signs  of  becoming  a  vast  area  of  grain 
fields.  The  stock  ranges,  rich  in  bunch  grass,  are  fast  changing  into 
far  richer  fields  of  wheat,  which  check  the  hills  and  valleys  like  a 
carpet.  It  is  a  marvel  that  the  high  hills  produce  all  the  cereals  as 
abundantly  as  the  plains.  Its  solution  is  due  to  a  two-fold  fact. 
First,  the  soil  of  this  whole  interior  of  higli  prairies  was  once  the  bod 
of  a  sj'stem  of  lakes,  as  appears  from  the  lectures  of  Professor  Con- 
don, and  illustrated  by  many  fossils  of  former  lacustrine  and  tropical 
life  found  embedded  therein.  It  is  also  attested  by  the  wonderful 
system  of  drainage  carried  on  for  ages  by  the  (,'olumbia  river  and  its 
affluents.  Those  waters  have  not  onlj'  cleaved  dykes  of  basalt,  miles 
in  length  and  scores,  and  even  hundreds  of  feet  high,  as  with  a  knife, 
but  they  have  cut  through  the  Cascade  mountains  from  their  summit, 
3,500  feet,  down  to  tide  water.  Uncounted  numbers  of  ravines,  in  all 
directions,  indicate  the  extent  and  magnitude  of  the  drainage,  which 
has  left  its  records  on  tiio  rounded  hills  and  deep  canyons.  The  vol- 
canic overflows,  tradable  in  the  Cascade  mountains,  that  formed  on 
cooling  their  basalt  dykes  and  cliffs  with  their  peculiar  columnar 
crystallizations,  added  much  to  the  mineral  elements  of  the  soil. 
Immense  quantities  of  volcanic  ashes  doubtless  were  blown  by  winds 
or  carried  by  streams  into  those  ancient  lakes,  giving  like  valuable 
deposits. 

Some  of  our  rivers,  as  the  Sandy  flowing  from  Mount  Hood,  and 
the  Nis<iually,  flowing  from  Mount  Rainier,  are  now  often 
made  milky  white  in  summer  by  these  volcanic  ashes,  loosened 
by  heat  from  their  beds  under  the  ice,  and  borne  down  by  the  rains 
and  melting  snows.  The  Sandj'  has  tluis  for  a  long  time  been  form- 
ing some  of  the  allnvial  soils,  like  the  Columbia  meadows.  The  soils 
of  the  Willamette  valley  owe  much  of  their  power  to  these  sources, 
which  become  more  apparent  as  the  higher  prairies  and  hills 
are  cleared  and  sown  with  wheat  or  set  w-ith  orchards. 

In  like  manner  these  old  volcanoes  furnislied  the  abundant  miner- 
al elements  in  the  upper  country,  on  which  all  the  cereals  feed  and 
thrive,  viz:  the  potash,  soda,  lime,  magnesia,  and  phosphoric  and 
silicic  acids.  The  basalts  are  largely  Feldspathic,  which  consists  of 
silicia,  alumina  and  potash,  and  are  easily  disintegrated  by  frost, 
thus  adding  large  annual  increments  to  the  soil. 

These  high  table-lands,  under  the  plough,  exhibit  the  finest  tilth 
from  one  to  twenty  feet  or  more  deep,  and  alike  through  the  whole 
mass.  Unlike  the  dark  vegetable  mold  of  tno  Mississippi  basin,  the 
soils  of  tills  Columbia  basin  are  whiter  and  more  highly  charged 
with  the  alkalies  and  lixed  acids. 

Western  farmers  are  astonished  that  such  whitish  lands  there,  and 
in  the  Willamette  valley,  can  ja-oduco  the  cereals;  but  thoy  are  more 


a 

o 


o.: 

0. 


t  45 

and  spring,  back     ko  '  C  ?"  '''"  ''"'-^'^lo-s  bonds   ..f  "  "'.'^''^  '"•• 
otlier  soft  woods  (ake  on  «  ^•°^''^*''•     '^^''^  wiJlr  w    '^^^^^         ^''^^  wind 

•^^ny  of  wj.oat  reouii^es  Tr'"r  V"«^^  ^veeks  at^  '  S^"*^  intimated 
«ont  potash  31  iTd?3  ^  /ollowing  proSnions  '  ^'"0^""'  "'« 
0.7,  phosphoric  acid  So  '.  '"«Snosia  12.2.  li,n«^  i*  •'  ^•"''  I^"'' 
0-0  per  cent    n ,.  .       — ''  '^nJphiiric  acid  2  7  J-         ^•''  "^Jf^o  of  iron 

portions  o'iive.te'nlh'"'";'*^  ^^^'»«"ts    a'nth! '^'J^'^^'^'  ^-7,  chlo^^e 
to  tliirty-one  tnrti  •'  °'  ^'"orii.e  and  sj^  "f  "P"«''^'«  ">  tl.e  f>i-o- 

six  and  four  tlnfh   T*:''^"^  «*"  "»e  sau?e   with^l'*"''^'     0«^«  require 

cent.  ;  that  la  It  .?    '  '"  P"""')"  3.5,  silieio  «Zf  1 ,7',  '"'"'''  »' Iro"  0  7 
one-tenth  ofsili,.;    „„i^  ^.P^*"  "^^"t-  of   oxidp  r,V ■•        "  "^®  Propor- 

■skeleton  dSes"o  tT«7    v"*"'^-'''  «"fJ  stJenSlwo  Fu''^'^''     ^^  i«  ""« 

l^oluble  sita  in  t  e  scJl'TL"^'  «"'"'-'«•    I^  there  t  a  Tr"^'  "^  ">« 

break  down  or  lodge  ?'''  ''^^  ^'•"'"  ^'^^^  wil,  he  welk  andT ".7  "' 

"i^emaysunnosel  V. -.1  •  ^''"K*  and  liable  to 

While  those  oleme.,1,  ,  "  °"°""<»"  "-alysis  rlgMiy 

fields  of  wheat   nnf..    i      ■     ^  ^^  "as  moved  nn  M.«  i.jm     •  ,       '     ^"^  '« 

"'•     ^' '^P-'-'*  tlae  light   porous  sod 


46 


to  the  air,  which  entorH  it  froeoly  and  parts  witli  its  hoat  and  its 
nioisturo  at  tho  saiuo  moinont  to  nourisli  the  phints.  Tlio  liinhiir  tl>o 
hill  tiio  quiclxor  tiio  cooling  process  ocunii-s  in  still  air,  so  that  tlio 
night  dews  and  niisls  water  tlio  plants  there  best  every  evening  wh(^n 
the  wind  dies  away. 

Some  persons  have  tried  to  explain  the  growth  of  grain  on  the  nj)- 
per  i>laiiis  l)y  a  sort  of  cai)illary  attraction,  drawing  up  the  nioisturo. 
It  has  also  been  explained  by  electrical  changes,  caused  by  the  'ele- 
graph.  Thit  whenever  the  plow  isfroolj'  used,  and  tho  seed  planted, 
though  scores  of  miles  away  from  tho  telegraph,  tho  growth  of 
grain  and  vegotablos  becomes  luxuriant. 

Orchards,  groves  and  fields  increase  tho  cooling  surfaces,  giving 
more  moisture  and  uKtre  summer  showers  in  all  that  region,  that 
lad  been  rainless.  The  practical  benefit  already  is  a  larger  vari- 
ety of  productions  and  a  grand  harvest  of  cereals  for  homo  and 
foreign  markets. 

Granting  that  those  two  facts  are  true  of  the  Tapper  Columbia 
basin;  that  the  soil  abounds  in  the  constituents  to  furnish  va'-ious 
and  most  valuable  harvests,  and  that  the  climate  is  favorable  to 
their  production,  it  is  reasonable  to  expect  a  wider  area  of  culti- 
vation every  year.  The  day  of  doubt  is  passed.  The  experiment 
has  been  made.  T'ho  plow,  the  reaper  and  tlie  wagon  of  this  sea- 
son must  lie  duplicated  the  next,  and  so  on  while  markets  de- 
mand supplies. 

Forecasting  the  future,  tho  country  that  can  possibly  be  thus 
cultivated  stretches  from  one  range  of  mountains  to  the  other,  east 
and  west,  and  from  the  high  plains  of  Nevada  into  the  British 
iiossessions. 

It  is  reasonable  to  expect  more  springs  from  the  hill  sides  and 
larger  streams  in  the  valleys  with  the  increase  of  population.  In- 
stead of  stock  ranches  and  settlers'  cabins  widely  separated,  we  may 
look  for  farming  communities  and  thriving  villages  in  sight  and 
not  far  from  each  other.  Such  is  tho  process  now  in  LTmatilla, 
Walla  Walla,  Columbia  and  Stevens  counties. 

The  facilities  for  transportation  furnished  by  the  O.  S.  N.  Co. 
and  by  the  railway  from  Wallula  to  Walla  Walla,  completed  by 
the  skill  and  energy  of  Dr.  D.  S.  Baker,  will  perhaps  stimulate 
the  early  completion  of  a  railroad  from  Umatilla  to  La  Grande, 
and  one  from  Dayton  to  the  mouth  of  the  Tucannon,  on  the 
There  is  need  of  lumber  and  fuel  all  over  that  re- 
completion  of  the  N.  P.  II.  R.  to 
waters,  that  the  exchange  of  the 
commodities  on  the  coast  may  be  made  at  all  seasons  with  those 
of  the  interior. 

Invisible  Vapor. 

Air  absorbs  and  retains  a  certain  amount  of  moisture,  at  a 
given  temperature.  Heat  it  one  degree  and  it  will  hold  more 
Cool  it  a  degree  and  it  will  retain  loss  and  deposits  dew.  A  glass 
of  ice  water  in  summer  will  cool  the  surrounding  air  and  form 
drops  outside  the  glass.  It  has  simply  reduced  the  power  of  tho 
air  to  suspend  the  vapor.  Let  the  glass  stand  a  few  minutes  and 
the  drops  will  evaporate.      Warmer  air  carries  them  olf. 

Traditional  Farming. 

The  custom  to  hoe  corn  in  New  England  three  times  rested  on 
a  soientilic  principle,  but  our  fathers  did  not  tell  us  boys  40  years 


Snake  river 

gion.     Every  reason  urges    the 

the  Columbia,    and    tho  ocean 


Our  air 
feet  squa 
oi'  water; 
Ions.  A  < 
pounds,  c 
Pends  141. 


"«■♦'  what  it  47 

„„■''','"  ""'-■■'■  .M.,„    „  '""■  "'°  '."""m      ,,'f' :  ™.n,„„„ 

Jies  of  <!  "^   V  APoi>  ,»,  ''"o 


ta 
«ion 


^^^'■«  oolu     r'-     "^'^'"^  J  7  i7.-;^f^"'«f0d  air  at  3"'  ^    ^'  Pounds,  or 
^'3  p"m,u'!   "•"'"'  le«-tlwi,S^" '■"'«'.  ''Oils  0>  ,  -°'"""'   '«"    Itol 

'*'■■  ""'^  -p  ^C°?r;i,°;,;."'i  "SC."  v'S  ^rz^' 


48 


Uppfk  CoLVMniA  Rabin. 

Wo  aro  !iot  ablo  to  fiOt  tlio  avorngo  tonniomtiiro  tor  tlio  tour  wasons 
ill  lOaiUoni  (»rc'K<>"  and  \\'ashiiigtt)n,  as  tlio  V.  H.  Signal  MU'vico  \h  not 
yot  oxt(;iul('(l  tiiillior,  as  it  needs  to  bo. 

AsHUining'  70'^  as  tho  Huninior  average  of  tho  upper  Colunjbia 
Hasin,  and  asHUininK  that  tho  air,  blowing  constantly  IVoin  tho  ocean 
by  day,  is  woll  saturated  with  moisture, — whicdi  every  one  feels  as 
ho  stands  facing  those  sea  winds — it  holds  8.01  grains  of  watery  va- 
j>or.  A  column  of  it  10  feet  sfpiaro  and  1,000  foot  high  siispotids 
ll'U'.j  pounds,  or  V.i').i  gallons.  The  same  column,  r>,oui)  leet  high, 
or  aljout  the  height  of  the  white  clouds  that  hover  near  Mount  Jlood 
in  summer,  suspends  572  pounds,  or  (10  gallons  of  water,  Snoh 
a  column  covering  an  iwro,  1,000  feet  high,  suspetids  40,80 1  pounds, 
or  5,0«a  gallons.  At  5,000  feet  high  it  suspends  •Jli),3'J0  pounds, 
or  :J!>,Ob')  gallons.  Cool  that  air  to  50° — which  is  done  usually  every 
night,  all  over  Oregon  and  Washington — and  it  loses  3.01  grains 
per  cubic  foot,  or  almost  one-half  its  vapor.  Vegetation  drinks  it. 
Heavy  dews  cover  the  grass.  Soils  deeply  plowed  and  broken  up 
into  tine  tilth  absorb  it  and  give  abundant  food  to  plants.  Prof.  Hrock- 
lesby  remarks:  "The  air  over  the  ocean  is  always  saturated,  and 
upon  tho  coasts,  in  equal  latitudes,  contains  the  greatest  possible 
amount  of  vapor;  but  the  quantity  dccrea.ses  as  we  advance  inland, 
for  the  atmosphere  of  tlie  plains  of  Oronoco,  tho  steppes  of  Siloria 
and  the  interior  of  New  Holland,  is  naturally  dry."  But  tho  interior 
of  Oregon,  to  the  Rocky  Mountains,  cannot  be  called  very  dry,  as 
Its  vapor  comes  fresh  with  every  summer  sea  breeze. 

Ocean  of  Invisihlk  Vapoe  Over  us. 
There  is  such  an  ocean  of  vapor  covering  all   of  Eastern   Oregon 
and  W^ashington,  from   the  Humboldt  to    tho  Frazer  river  valleys, 
and  extending  westward  to  the  Pacific,  5,000  feet  deep  from  the  bed 
of  the  Columbia,  enclosing  an  area  of  over  300,000  square  miles. 

Feaus  of  Lack  of  Moistuiie. 

The  climate  oast  of  the  Ca.scades  has  been  called  dry  and  tl\e  land 
arid.  Thoque-stion  of  assured  moisturo  in  summer  is  often  discussed 
and  weighed  by  comparing  seasons.  The  last  was  better  than  .*ormor 
years.  Showers  wore  common  in  Walla  Walla  and  other  low  val- 
leys. But  will  showers  increase  and  extend  with  cultivation  ?  Will 
springs  break  out  on  tho  hill  sides  as  tho  high  prairies  are  plowed 
and  tilled? 

An  Example  of  Rain  Without  Cloud. 

Standing  in  Dayton,  Columbia  county,  near  the  Touchet,  July  12, 
1877,  at  5  o'clock  A.  M,,  asthesuuro.se  before  me  I  noticed  a  fine 
rain  falling  from  a  cloudless  sky  and  wotting  the  grass  in  Mr,  Matz- 
gar'.s  garden.  Mr.  M.  had  noticed  tho  same  fact  often.  Its  solution 
was  that  tho  trees  and  grass  and  garden  had  cooled  and  compressed 
the  column  of  air  and  deposited  part  of  its  vapor.  As  tho  sun  rose 
higher  in  the  clear  sky  tho  same  moisturo  was  re-absorbed  by  the 
re-expanding  air,  as  a  sponge  takes  up  water  and  gives  it  our  on 
pressure  and  re-absorbs  it  *vhen  the  pressure  is  off.  Cooling  tho  air 
acts  like  pressing  the  sponge.  Heat  expands  it  and  increases  its  ca- 
pacitj'  to  hold  vapor.  Prof.  B.  attests  several  instances  of  showers 
occurring  when  the  sky  was  clear.  This  phenomena  was  several 
times  observed  by  Humboldt;  and  Kaemtz  says  it  happens  in  Ger- 
many twice  or  thrice  a  year. 


I 

I 


at 
de 
ce 

Sii 
I/, 


I 
api 

3°  I 
wit, 

thai 

the 

drai 

real.' 

dion 

troa." 


On 

whea 

bund 

wheal 

soil  h 

thus 

foods. 


Tho 
brokoi 
set  wit 
night, 
to  forn 
moistu 


Rota 
be  left 
increa.s( 
crops  o 


If  wh 

Walla  ^ 

every  tii 

twice  in 

The  se 

Albany, 

This  pro 

grain  thj 


49 


Ult 

bUv 

I  us 
va- 
mlH 

ood 

mis, 
vo»y 
iiiins 
4H  il. 
n  up 
rock- 
,  and 
ssible 
land, 
ilorla 
terior 
ry,  as 


)regon 
illeys, 
no  bed 

BS. 

land 
cussed 
'oiinor 
iw  val- 
Will 
ilowed 


uly  1-2, 
I  rt  fine 
Matz- 

liressed 
lin  rose 

jy  the 
lour  on 

I  the  air 
Jits  ca- 
lliovvers 
Iseveral 
In  Ger- 


P 


I 


Natukk'm  Ihuioation. 

Grant  tliat  an  ucrn  of  air  at  70°  and  1,000  foot  hia;h  susi)oiuls  oO.sS 
Mialions  of  wiilor,  and  wluiii  rodiicod  to  .')0<^  on  a  still  ni^hl  ^ivos  out 
about  ono-liiilf  its  supply,  or  li.lKM)  gallons,  sprinklinK  it  in  (luost 
d«\v  over  ovory  inch  of  tiio  laud,  and  you  havo  an  irrigating  pro. 
coss  superior  to  any  muidjer  of  streams  or  system  of  artesian  wells. 
.Suppose    the  cohnnn  .'i.ooo    foot    liigh,  the  deposit  at   50°   may   be 

II    -win    ,,..11 f     .  I 


I  1,500  gallons. 


OnJKf'TION. 


Do  you  nb)oot  that  a  far  loss  amount  sooms  to  bo  deposited  J  Only 
api)roximatos  can  bo  kIvou.  Air  cools  1°  ovory  24.'i  feet  higii— about 
3°  per  l,0(tO  foot.  This  rodu-.-os  tho  vapor.  Kvory  degree  of  heat, 
with  iho  asconding  sun,  re-absorbs  tho  inoist\ire  until  all  is  gone 
that  was  iioL  drank  l)y  loaves  and  grass  or  by  tho  soil,  and  very  soon 
tho  soil  gives  back  what  it  rocoivod,  unless  its  web  of  rootlets  have 
drank  it  up.  If  tho  soil  is  baked,  never  jilowodi  and  never  set  in  oe- 
reals  or  shrubs  or  in^os,  it  gots  very  little  good  from  its  mighty 
dienching,  and  at  tlio  earliest  sunrise  tho  blessing  flies  away  to  its 
troasurv  in  the  skies. 


Good  Cur/nvArioN  Gauneiis  the 
Plant  Roots. 


Vai'ob    abott  the 


On  tho  high  hills  of  Columbia  county,  Washington  Terrltorj', 
wheat  grow  luxuriantly  in  July,  1H77,  while  four  feet  distant  the 
bunch  grass  was  drying  up.  This  was  the  first  plowing  for  the 
wheat,  while  the  other  land  had  never  been  plowed.  That  upland 
.soil  has  a  fine  mixture  of  the  mineral  elements  and  alkalies,  and 
thus  a  spongy  lightness, which  easily  absorbs  vapor  and  the  gaseous 
foods.     Hence  its  marvelous  productive  powers. 

It  Needs  the  Plough,  the  Seed  and  the  Tree. 

Those  high  prairies  that  now  seein  so  dry  in  summer  need  to  be 
broken  up,  sown,  set  with  shrubs  and  trees.  The  soil  once  open  and 
set  with  wheat  will  absorb  its  full  supply  of  moisture  every  cool 
night,  which  will  carry  its  load  of  nutriment  to  rootlets  or  drip  away 
to  form  springs.  Trees  and  shrubs  also  become  coolers  and  deposit 
moisture. 

Fallow  Groxtno  an  Injury. 

Rotate  crops,  as  in  Great  Britain,  for  best  results.  No  fields  need 
be  left  fallow  for  many  years.  Sown  or  planted  and  tilled  they  will 
increase  the  deposit  of  moisture  and  thus  as.sure  the  coolness  and 
crops  on  other  fields. 

Wheat  in  Rows  liiKE  Corn. 

If  wheat  or  oats  become  too  dry,  as  happens  in  the  lower  Walla 
Walla  valley,  run  the  light  plow  or  cultivator  through  the  grain 
every  three  or  four  feet,  leaving  it  in  rows  like  corn.  Do  it  once  or 
twice  in  the  summer. 

The  section  harrow  and  clod  crusher  made  by  Messrs.  Carter,  in 
Albany,  will  make  a  fine,  light  tilth,  that  will  absorb  moisture. 
This  process  will  give  a  larger  product  of  wheat  from  the  rows  of 
grain  than  from  the  entire  field  left  crusted  and  dry. 


50 

Examples. 

A  gentleman  raised  a  fine  field  of  corn  2}4  miles  from  Walla  V/al- 
la,  ton  years  ago.  witiiout  a  drop  of  rain.  He  simply  plowed  tlie 
land,  planted  the  seed  and  used  the  plow  or  cultivator  between  tl»e 
rows.  Two  yearu  ago,  another  farmer  raised  over  40  bushels  per  acre, 
of  corn,  back  of  The  Dalles,  without  a  drop  of  rain.  His  plow  kept 
the  ground  loose  and  spongy,  and  it  r.bsorbed  all  needed  moisture 
from  the  air. 

In  1«77,  L.  Patterson,  of  Hillsboro,  planted  three  rows  of  new 
kinds  of  wheat  in  his  garden  2H  foet  apart,  dropping  the  seeds  about 
S  indies  apart  in  each  row.  From  30  to  (50  stalks  grew  from  each 
kernel,  carrying  as  many  heads,  which  had  from  50  to  100  grains 
each.  The  ground  was  kept  light  and  spongy,  and  was  always  moist 
a  half  inch  below  the  surface.  The  wide  spaces  gave  room  for  the 
plants  to  feed  and  grow  well.  Tlie  stalks  sprouted  from  the  center 
stalk  like  a  currant  bush.  This  proves  that  every  wheat  plant  must 
have  room  and  a  tine  tilth  to  give  the  largest  products.  Mr.  L. 
thmks  four  quarts  enough  to  plant  an  acre.  His  field  ot  Aviioat  a  few 
rods  distant  looked  fair,  but  it  was  crusted  over  and  dry  and  imper- 
vious to  moisture,  and  thus  in  part  a  failure,  as  every  field  of  grain 
sowed  b.'oadcast  and  left  to  crust  over  must  be. 

Rev.  O.  Dickinson  liad  a  field  of  wlioat  near  Salem  last  year,  which 
became  so  foul  with  wild  oats  that  he  ran  the  plow  through  every 
three  feet  to  kill  the  oats,  leaving  rows  ot  wheat  three  fcot  apart. 
The  result  was  a  larger  ?rop  of  Miieat  than  the  entire  field  would 
have  given.  This  year  he  proposes  to  cultivate  some  land  on  this 
plan,  using  the  Carter  Excelsior  combined  section  harrow  to  break 
the  clods  and  reduce  the  tilth  between  the  rows. 

This  Plan  is  Applicable  to  Flat  Prairies. 

The  yellow  patches  of  grain  on  some  of  the  flat  prairies  of  Marion, 
Linn  and  Lane  couiiMes  are  an  eyesore.  It  is  stated  that  Linn  coun- 
ty raised  only  lialf  a  croj)  in  1877,  owing  to  late  excessive  rains,  fol- 
lowed by  hot,  dry  montlis.  The  ground  baked  and  the  plants  were 
chocked  and  stinted.  Mad  farmers  run  their  ijIows  through  the 
fields  about  two  or  three  feet  apart  in  June,  as  the  sf  il  began  to  crust 
over,  and  then  followed  in  July  with  the  cull'vator  or  section  har- 
row and  clod  crusher  between  the  rows,  the  evidence  is  that  they 
would  have  liad  a  much  larger  crop.  Tlio  plan  is  worth  trying  tliis 
year,  as  the  continued  rains  may  keep  those  lands  soaked  till  late. 

The  Plan    Applies  to  Vineyards. 

Tlie  vineyard  connected  with  the  San  Gabriel  Mission,  near  Ijos 
Angeles — I  am  told— is  cultivated  of  late  entirely  without  irrigation. 
The  plow,  spade  and  hoe  prove  entirely  sufficient  to  keep  the  ground 
moist  and  give  an  abundant  crop. 

It  Applies  to  Dby  Lands  Elsewhere. 

A  gentleman  has  raised  fine  fields  of  corn  ten  miles  i  ^h  of  Los 
Angeles  without  a  drop  of  rain,  simply  using  the  plow  anu  cultivator 
freely. 

A  Baker  county  farmer,  I  am  told,  plowed  up  the  sagw  brush  out- 
side of  an  old  field,  and  raised  70  bushels  of  oats  p^r  acre,  without 
rain.  The  soil  is  mineral,  light  and  spongy.  Onc<  open,  it  absorb- 
ed moisture  enough  for  fine  growth  and  product. 


Tl 
as  a 
have 
pare 

Re 

a  sid( 

only 

miles 

have 

'Sup 

on  tht 

drillei 

duce  s 

and  th 

ing  up 

from  tl 

Doul 
of  the  ( 
it  of  in( 
fields  ai 
Valleys, 
interior 
find  dvv( 

Dkou 

A  trav 
Jeseribi^ 
for  Ilia, 
notliing 
Ijai;  k  as 
hiiJs  gre 
•store  hoM 
fcfiji  repo 
a  droj)  of 
absorb  th 
wiu.it  in 
at-'i'o.  It  is 
Probabl 
t'le  poppj 

Hindosfan 
provinces 
by  using  J 
Shallow  cu 
of  tJiose  hij 
tlie  air,  but 
Tile  protect 
visible  vap^ 

The 

Thi«  not- 
ing to  the  . 
wonder  of  n 
coal,  lime. 


I 


51 

The  plains  of  Kan«;aB 

Rev.  C.  E„l,»  -Z  fT7  ™  ''"""""■^  «-"■■'"«• 
S..I>po«  ■  e  ■  elt,;;;  If"  "-"''  o-i^.J'-,  l:",.e""'="  ■*'"•■•'=  "">  "ills 


''ng  upon  oostlv  ,.f     •   '"^"'  >>eoomo  a  cortainf^T    '''''"*  -''"^^  «'>nib.s 

""  ca  water  supply 


I>o..btle„  the  mrJ^l"  ""  '''"'  «'«ka>is. 

ond  .iwelli,,,,;    T^i'tl  ''''S'""'  "".ill  bo  clou ",  t     '  ''"="  ""»  " ""I" 

fornia.     One  I  o.  5     '\"**'^'  .J'>"rnev  n,>r  iTuVm         ^''''P'''''  '''^'^^  vear, 

"otm-ng  to  note  b  u  Ih'  ''''  '^'^^^^'^  -^^'^^''^ed      Y  1^^^^^^^^^^^ 

bar.k  as  many  feJ  Veo^,^'^^'^"'^  "fa  iull  ubo.u  1  50  ntV  m"*  ^'^•'  ^"""^ 

•store  lionso  of  u-.,f o..V     !       ^'^    '''t'e.     TJuit  fn..-   i,     .      ^  P^'^^ns  and 
a  tlrop  of  rain  •  Ijnf  ^"  f  .^^^^'^''^  <^nvl,eat  in  tl.e  i     d.m       '  '"""''•^'-■o  ^ul- 

of  tliose  liigl,  „|.],,,  I'",,'.'""  'i"lo  cooling  suifnco  t„  h      .      "I'-iJoa. 

.on,  IX uit,,vool,, staves,  hoops 


52 


furniture  and  furniture  woods-,  water  pipe  and  pump  stocks,  ship 
knees  and  spars,  and  the  products  of  several  other  new  industries, 
already  glide  thi'ough  thotje  ample  water  ways  to  the  ocoivn  and  the 
world  marts. 

Freights  are  cheaper  from  Pnget  Sound  to  Liverpool  than  from 
Lake  Micliigan  to  Liverpool.  Tlie  harvests  now  annually  gathered 
from  the  forests  and  mines,  from  fields  and  orchards,  from  rivers  and 
sea  waters,  all  are  mere  signs  of  vastly  greater  and  more  varied  har- 
vests yet  to  be  gathered. 

Lumber — Mills. 

The  great  mills  are  improving  and  increasing  their  macliinery,  us- 
ing late  inventions  to  economize  torce  and  perfect  their  lumber  for 
the  demands  of  builders  and  shipwrights,  and  other  wood  workers, 
while  adding  twenty  to  eighty  per  cent,  to  their  average  daily  pro- 
duct. This  draws  more  ships  to  their  wharves,  loads  them  quicker 
and  oftener,  and  sends  them  in  search  of  new  markets. 

Coal. 

The  Seattle  mines  of  coal  are  a  type  of  a  vast  series  of  veins  which 
enriches  this  entire  basin.  These  extena  in  sections  northward  into 
British  America,  and  southwarrl  to  the  Columbia  river,  and  along  the 
foot  hills  and  spurs  to  the  Cascade  and  Coa^t  mountains  into  Califor- 
nia. The  Seattle  Coal  Company  will  export  over  a  hundred  thou- 
sand tons  the  present  year  of  very  good  domestic  which  is  sold  read- 
ily in  San  Francisco.  The  Seatco  mines  are  sending  an  equally  good 
domestic  coal  to  Olympia,  at  lower  rates  on  the  O.  &  T.  narrow  gauge 
railroad.  A  short  side  track  from  the  N.  P.  R.  R.  can  put  the  same 
coal  cheap  into  the  Portland  markets. 

The  Tacoma  coal  mine;  have  begun  to  furnish  fine  grades  of  grate 
coal,  and  also  of  steam  and  gas  and  blacksmith,  and  of  furnace  coals. 
The  steamer  Alaska  tested  forty  tons  on  her  last  trip,  and  her  en- 
gineer, Mr.  Stewart,  pronounces  it  the  best  coal  yet  produced  on  the 
coast.  She  will  now  use  it.  The  new  railroad  survej"^  of  the  N.  P. 
R.  R.  Co.,  via  the  Cowlitz  Pass,  reveals  veins  of  true  anthracite 
which  give  promise  of  ample  supplies  of  smelting  coals. 

LiMK. 

The  San  Juan  and  Orcas  Island  lime  have  already  become  known 
as  choice  brands  in  our  markets,  displacing  those  from  Santa  Cruz,  as 
the  latter  did  the  Oahu  lime  15  years  ago.  The  Puyallup  lime  beds 
now  bid  fair  to  rival  those  of  San  Juan,  as  their  hops  do  those  of 
more  southern  climes. 

Ikon. 

Coal,  lime  and  iron  "jeds  near  together  and  near  the  sea,  make  blast 
furnaces  and  rolling  mills  and  machine  shops    both    possible  and 
profitable.    The  same  vegetation  which  produced  the  coal  veins,  also 
formed  the  deposits  of  iron  ore.     Their  common  laboratory  was  in 
the  vast  morasses  of  the  carbonaceous  period.     Finding  the  coal  out- 
croppings,  you  may  expoct  to  find  the  iron  ores  near  by,  and  inob- 
ably  the  lime  rocks  in  some  form.     All  these  mines  are  found  near 
Tacoma.    The  branch  N.  P.  R.  R.,  up  the  Puyallup  valley,  now! 
opens  the  coal  !i"d  lime  to  market,  and  touches  the  outcio;;pings  of  j 
iron  ore  that  indJcato  both  the  quality  and  quantity  needec'  for  home! 
use  and  export.      Once  developed,  the  savings  in  freights  alone  will] 


a 
a 
P 

C( 

a 


m 
de 
be; 

r 

jus 
\va 


T 

ish  j 
ran 

and 

fur 


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kin, 
bey( 
freqi 


Ti 
deed 
on  ]( 


Tl 
al  Ej 
Jlis 
valle 
trend 
lands 
100  bi 


Ith 


53 


up 
es, 
the 

om 
•red 
and 
har- 


,  us- 
V  for 
kers, 
r  pro- 
licker 


which 
rd  into 
)ns  the 
;;alitor- 
1  thou- 
,d  read- 
ly  good 
,v  gauge 
lie  same 

of  grate 

■e  coals. 

her  en- 
Id  on  the 
Ihe  N.  P- 

iithracite 


le  known 

Cruz,  as 
lime  beds 

those  of   » 


lake  blast 
Isible  aui^ 
leins,  also 
ly  was  in 
]  coal  ont- 
Lnd  V'ob- 
bund  near 
liley,  now 
l>-:pingH  ot 
I  for  home  i 
Ivlone  will 


furnish  a  larj^e  margin  of  profit  for  this  home  industry  and  a  chance 
for  export  al.so  to  ttie  vast  marts  of  the  Pacific  coast,  worthy  tlie  at- 
tention of  the  prudent  capitalist  and  manufacturer. 

Lumber. 

During  twenty-five  years  the  mill  companies  of  Puget  Sound  have 
been  exporting  their  products  of  fir  and  cedar  to  all  the  markets  of 
the  Pacific,  while  many  cargoes  of  their  spars  and  ship  knees  have 
gone  to  the  maritime  ports  of  France  and  England.  Their  annual 
export  now  exceeds  two  hundred  millions  of  feet  of  sawed  lumber. 
"Yet  they  have  only  penetrated  the  forests  from  one  to  three  miles 
from  the  shores  of  the  bays  and  rivers,  and  only  culled  the  timber 
so  far.  Single  trees  often  make  from  12,000  to  15,000  ft.  Their  aver- 
age as  estimated  is  10,000  per  tree  and  50  trees,  or  500,000  feet  per 
acre.  When  cut  close  as  in  eastern  forests,  this  amount  in  many 
places  will  be  doubled.  In  the  valleys  curly  maple,  alder,  ash, 
cedar  and  some  other  furniture  and  fine  cabinet  woods  are  found  for 
a  growing  market. 

Fish. 

The  waters  of  Puget  Sound  are  the  home  of  the  salmon  and  sal- 
mon trout,  the  halibut,  the  herring,  the  rock  and  torn  cod,  the  floun- 
der, the  sea  perch  and  the  smelt,  with  other  varieties  of  food  fish, 
besides  extensive  clam  beds  and  oyster  beds. 

The  dogfish  and  others  are  taken  for  oil.  The  fisheries  have  only 
just  begun  to  enlist  attention  and  capital,  but  they  promise  a  large  re- 
ward to  enterprise. 

Fruit, 

The  apple,  pear,  cherry,  plum,  and  even  the  Isabella  grape  fiour. 
ish  on  the  shores  and  islands  of  this  archipelago  ;  while  the  cur- 
rants, strawberries,  raspberries  and  blackberries  gi-ow  luxuriantly, 
and  give  large  and  delicious  harvests  for  the  reward  of  every  faith- 
fu'  gardener. 

Vegetables. 

The  potato,  turnip,  tomato,  beet,  carrot,  parsnip,  ^'luaslI,  pump- 
kin, cabbage,  cauliflower,  celery  and  onion  are  rai-sud  oasily  and 
beyond  the  home  market  demands.  Nearness  to  the  sea  oilers  a 
frequent  profitable  market  for  their  exports. 

The  Grasses. 

Timothy,  red  and  white  clover  and  orchard  grass,  blue  grass,  in- 
deed every  variety  tested,  thrives  in  this  soil  and  climate,  whether 
on  lowliand  or  highland. 

•     The  Cereat.s. 

The  specimens  of  these  were  shown  by  Mr,  Bush  at  the  Centenni- 
al Exposition,  for  which  he  received  a  well  deserved  medal  (  f  honor. 
His  fine  exhibit  can  be  matched  by  any  careful  farmer  in  any  of  the 
valleys  of  the  Puget  Sound  basin,  and  on  ail  the  wooded  plains  that 
trend  toward  the  hills  and  mountains,  and  on  the  islands  and  dyke 
lands  of  the  Skagit  and  Swinomish  tlats.  These  latter  often  yield 
100  bushels  of  oats  or  barley  per  acre. 

The  Soils. 
It  hds  been  thought  at  the  first  glance  that  the  only  good  lands  are 


54 


the  river-bottoms  and  tide  flats,  and  tiiat  tlie  lighter  and  more  sandy 
blutfs  and  slopes  and  forest-covered  hills  will  be  worthless  to  the 
farmer  after  the  lumbermen  have  culled  their  grand  treasures  of 
timber.  But  look  at  the  grass  plots  and  gardens  and  orchards  of 
Olympia,  and  the  farms  near  by  ;  or  of  Seattle,  or  Port  Madison,  or 
Port  Gamble,  or  Port  Ludlow,  or  Port  Townsend,  or  Dungeness,  or 
Coupeville,  or  Seabec,  or  any  spot  in  Whatcomb,  or  Snohomish,  or 
Island,  or  Mason,  or  R;tsap,  or  King  counties,  and  you  will  see  a 
luxuriant  vegetation,  a  strength  of  tube  and  stock,  a  breadth  of  leal", 
a  deep  rich  coloring  of  flower,  that  give  token  of  a  soil  and  climate 
remarkably  rich  in  all  the  mineral,  vcT^Btable,  gaseous  and  vapor 
elements  needed  for  garden  and  field,  as  well  as  forest. 

The  diflfioulty  of  clearing  is  more  than  matched  by  the  cost  of 
transportation  from  the  distant  though  rich  plains  of  the  interior. 
The  gain  o?  nearness  to  the  sea  is  found  in  the  greater  variety  of 
produces  for  use  and  export.  The  lack  of  alluvium  and  the 
deep  black  mold  of  the  low  valleys  is  more  tliau  compensated  by 
the  richer  measure  of  the  mineral,  alkaline  aud  ^illecious  deposits 
in  these  upland  soils.  They  will  last  longer,  make  better  and 
stronger  tubes,  holding  up  the  grain  heads  flrujly,  proof  against  rust, 
and  storm,  and  probably  a  surety  against  insect  foes. 

This  soil,  opened  deeply  by  the  plow,  and  often  stirred  deep  in  the 
summer  afternoons,  will  absorb  the  air  saturated  with  vapors,  and 
furnish  the  finest  irrigation  to  all  sorts  of  plants,  and  yield  the  largest 
harvests. 

Near  every  city,  village  and  hamlet  of  the  Puget  Sound  basin  are 
open  doors  to  abounding  resources  from  the  Creator's  hand. 

The  need  is  of  thought,  toil,  patience  and  economy  to  enrich  that 
whole  region  with  homes  and  farms  abounding  in  comforts,  health, 
luxuries  and  wealth. 

TRANSI'ORATION. 

When  the  N.  P.  R.  R.  R.  shall  be  completed,  opening  the  vast 
grain  fields  and  pastui'es  of  the  interior  to  the  sea,  and  carrying  inland 
the  lumber,  coal,  iron,  and  ocean  commerce;  and  when  the  narrow- 
gauge  railroads,  like  the  S.  &  W.  W.  R.  R.,  and  the  O.  &  T.  R.  R., 
shall  extend  the  exports  and  imports  through  all  the  valleys,  there 
will  be  ample  ociasion  Ibr  an  increase  of  enterprises  on  land  and 
sea. 

Western  Oregon  and  Washington. — Climate  Average. 

Winter ;^i)  degrees,  Farenheit, 

Spring 52         '«  " 

Summer 67        "  " 

Fall 53  •  •• 


i 


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56 

Kind  of  Cahgo.  Ac.  ^ 

The  weather  since  leaving  ^^^^^^^^^^^  ^Ij^r^ 

draft  leaving  ^i'^"'";^"'  J^^^"*^*^  The  coar received  at  Tacoma  has 

consisting  Prjn«'P^"y^2t°Gr  for  months,   which   nevertheless  has 

been  exposed    o  the  leather  for  mom  i  would  rec- 

done  good  work  ^<''F^l^,^,^^'^I^^JZ  ?ar^e  corporations,  to  give  it  a 
ommend  all  Steamship  C^on^P*"}®^'   ,^  mm  necessarv  to  have  a  good 

?air  trial  and  test     I ^BraaS.?     I  wou  d  Ser  ise  this  coal,  from 
Grate  surface  and  good  Draught.     ^  wouiu  ^.^^  .^ 

what  I  have  seen  of  it.  than  *"y  ^^.^l^^^r  and  I  ar^  positive  it  will 
new,  yet,  and  coal  not  at  ^^/.f^^f  J^t  mine  I  have  tried  all  other 
improve  rapidly  a^^hej  f°  mto  Uie  ^^'^-.^f^^med  from  good  au- 
kinds  of  coal,  except  S-iatUe,  ^na  that'  i  »m  j  puyallupcoal  makes 
thority,  is  very  «ooty;  whi  e  on  ^ '«  "^^f^^,^  ^1,^'  is  n^ecessary.  I 
llZ'^^yTlu-^T^yT^^^  rwilSsta^ntiate  my  statement. 
Very  respectfully, 

[Signed,]  John  Stewart, 

Chief  Engineer. 


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